The Moon Beneath the Bridge
by pandasize
Summary: Since Splinter's passing, the turtles have been forced to grow up in more ways than one. Learning how to find their place in a society that still shuns them remains difficult, but becomes even more so when an ugly part of their past returns. A young woman may hold the key to solidifying the terrapin brothers as united heroes of humanity, or tear them apart completely.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.**

**A/N: There is no specific TMNT universe that this fic falls into. There will be a mix of references from the Mirage, IDW, 2003 and the 2007 movie. The turtles are older, so you could say this is a future A/U. Personalities are aligned more closely with the IDW series.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

"What do you mean you **lost** it?!" Donatello bellowed incredulously at his youngest brother, lounging lazily on the couch. "Why did you even have my brand new **data decoder** in the first place? How many times have I told you not to touch the gadgets in my lab?!"

"What did I tell you about making stuff so freakin' shiny and rad if you don't want me touching? Hmm?!" Michelangelo retorted while his hands absentmindedly searched his belt.

Donatello swore under his breath.

"Hey, you knew I lost my communicator last week with all my music on it. And your new little 'decoder' thingy was choked full of sweet tunes! You really expected me to pass that up?"

"It was also 'choked full' of classified communication and tracking technology! Do you know what it could mean if the decoder fell into the wrong hands?!"

"Just self-destruct it like you always do and make a new one," Michelangelo concluded with a shrug, toes extending to drag a remote closer to his reach.

"This isn't RadioShack, Mikey! That decoder was made from the last bits of Triceraton technology that I'd painstakingly collected over the years..."

"Oh..." Michelangelo froze and a look of guilt dawned on his face.

"Damn it, Mikey. How are you almost 30 years old? You're still act like a teenager!"

"Sorry, bro..."

"C'mon," an olive green hand seized a light green bicep. "Enough talk. We're going out and finding the decoder. **_Now_**."

"Wait! Wait!" Michelangelo artfully squirmed out of his brother's grip, a nervous smile twitching across his freckled cheeks. "Now don't get mad, but..."

"I'M ALREADY MAD!"

"I need to post my review for the new Silver Sentry reboot by midnight. It's for a deadline, I SWEAR!" Michelangelo raised two brawny arms over his head in a preemptive, defensive pose.

"WHAT?!" Donatello was certain he was going to foam at the mouth. Sure, everyone was glad that Michelangelo had finally found a job that he could commit to and get excited about, but running a successful comic/movie review website, had not only bolstered the turtle's living expenses, but also his massive ego.

"Maybe Raph can go with you?"

"He's out cold - still jet-lagged from that Peruvian job April sent him on," Leonardo had soundlessly entered the living room, eyes still a little foggy from emerging from meditation. "What's all the commotion?"

"Mikey **stole** and subsequently** lost** my new data decoder. And now he's not going to help me find it because he wants to watch a movie."

"Correction: Do my job!"

Donatello growled, shaking hands ready to strangle Michelangelo with his own bright orange bandana.

"Okay, okay," Leonardo repeated calmly in a neutral voice that he had developed since assuming the role as head of the house. "Mikey, where was the last place you saw...what was it again?"

"Data decoder." An impatient Donatello crossed his arms tightly over his plastron.

"Yea. That. Where did you last remember having it?"

Sky blue eyes looked to the ceiling in thoughtful contemplation. "I still had it when I was at Gian's Pizzeria. Maybe it fell out of my 'chuck holsters when I saved that old lady from a good ol' fashioned mugging!"

An audible smack rang out as Donatello's palm connected with his forehead. "You clipped my _precious invention_ to the same place you whip your weapons in and out of?!"

"Do you want me to go with you, Donnie?" Leo offered helpfully, stepping in between his raging sibling and the one nested in the couch cushions.

There was a pause after Donatello's gaze met his. "...No, it's fine, Leo. I know the place he's talking about." The brainiest of the brothers easily saw how tired Leonardo looked. Eight seasons had come and gone since Master Splinter had passed away from old age, and it had been hard on all of them. As usual, Leonardo took on the biggest piece of the family burden, working harder to maintain harmony between the brothers, deal with everyone's grief, and at the same time, promote normalcy and routine within their home. His constant putting of others' needs over his own was beginning to take a visible toll.

"Are you sure, Donnie?" The family leader pressed again.

"Yea, I'm sure I can find it on my own. Don't worry." Donatello went over to the wall where his bō staff hung. "Sorry we interrupted your meditation."

"It's alright. I needed a break anyway," Leonardo rubbed the back of his neck and stared off towards the empty kitchen.

"How was it? Did you- I mean...was there-"

Leo shook his head immediately and motioned over to an oblivious Michelangelo bouncing anxiously in his seat to the opening Silver Sentry credits. Donatello swallowed his question and frowned.

"Don't stay out too late," Leonardo advised casually, effectively ending the conversation.

"I won't," Donatello replied before shooting a harsh glare at the back of Michelangelo's head. "I still need to come back and **install locks on my door.**"

"See ya later, bro!" Michelangelo called out nonchalantly with a wave of his arm.

* * *

Shino Mori rubbed her hazel, almond-shaped eyes before propping open her laptop. _Nothing like coming home from a long day of work to do __**more**__ work,_ she thought sarcastically. Stifling a yawn with one hand, the young woman reached into her black leather briefcase and extracted the delightful little discovery that she had just found on her way home. It was a beautiful, sleek, platinum colored gadget that she noticed on the ground. After surveying her immediate surroundings to see if someone was looking for it, she noted nothing. Thus, Shino brought it home, hoping it would contain some pictures or files that could link her to its owner. After all, the gadget looked remarkably expensive, and she was certain that whoever had lost it must be quite upset.

She popped it into a port in her laptop and a playlist opened automatically, flooding her living room with a familiar upbeat tune. _A music player! How nifty!_ she marveled to herself. She instantly recognized the artist as one of her favorite indie bands. _Well, at least I know the owner has good taste_, Shino smiled as she scrolled down the playlist. She tried to fiddle some more with the "music player," but soon found that it was far more complex than she could have ever even imagine. Figuring this thing out was going to take quite a bit of time. Time that she didn't have if her boss was going to have anything to say about it.

_Oh well. I'll try again tomorrow,_ she justified. _But in the meantime..._ She grinned and popped in a pair of earbuds before remotely accessing her company's share drive to get down to business.

* * *

Donatello peered through the ivory curtains at a young woman staring intently at her computer screen. Using triangulation, he had finally located his data decoder. It was attached to this girl's laptop, and from his perch on her fire escape, he could see that she was using the decoder the same way Mikey had - for its "sweet tunes." He chuckled to himself, realizing how ridiculous this whole situation was. There he was, running over eighty-five different possible scenarios where his missing decoder could fall into nefarious hands, and in reality, it was simply being used as an glorified mp3 player.

His plan was just to wait until she fell asleep, ninja his way into her apartment, and take back what was his. He'd broken into far more secure facilities under far more dangerous circumstances. This was going to be a cakewalk. In the meantime, he decided to observe the girl's surroundings to pass the time. Sometimes he and his brothers would people watch from rooftops and make up funny stories about the folks they saw. It was a game they played since their first adventures topside since they couldn't actually go down and meet people.

The female looked to be around her mid to late twenties. She had caramel colored locks that tumbled in waves around her shoulders. Expressive eyes showed that she was utterly engrossed in whatever she was doing. Books about mathematics, finances, and business models lined her bookshelves. _A numbers gal,_ Donatello inwardly approved._ Maybe she's a student..._

The modern, posh furnishings in her apartment indicated otherwise though. A white dining set looked more esoteric than pragmatic. A Persian rug woven in white and gold said expensive taste. _The high-maintenance type,_ the turtle deduced with a shake of his head.

Then he saw a small altar mounted high on the wall. It housed a silver incense holder and a framed photo of an older, friendly-looking Japanese gentleman. A late grandfather or father perhaps? There was certainly some resemblance between their high cheekbones and noses. Donatello suddenly felt a dull pang of pain beneath his plastron at the reminder of his own late father.

_No, this isn't the time for personal emotions,_ he admonished himself. _Get it together, Donatello. You're here to get the damn decoder back._ The image of Mikey laughing riotously in front of the TV with a mouthful of popcorn, while he had to wait out in the cold behind some stranger's apartment, made the purple clad turtle growl. He narrowed his eyes and continued to scan the girl's apartment to distract himself.

It was at this time that some of the other photographs on the walls began to catch his eye. In particular, there was one picture of the girl standing next to a man with a face that Donatello had not seen in a very long time. It was unmistakable and sickeningly familiar. It was none other than Oroku Saki._ The Shredder._

The Shredder had his arm slung endearingly over the girl's shoulders. To his right stood the same man featured in the girl's altar. _Could it be? No..._

Donatello whipped out a pair of specialty binoculars to help him see more clearly. There wasn't just one, but several pictures of Oroku Saki all over this girl's apartment. His image was interspersed and sandwiched between various friends and family. Karai was even in one of the photos!

Pieces of a terrible puzzle began to fall into place for the terrapin spy. The clasps of her black briefcase were marked with a familiar red, three-pronged family crest. He zoomed his vision in on the spreadsheets opened on her laptop. The documents were also marked with the same logo. This woman was definitely no student. She was bad news.

* * *

Shino was squinting hard, trying to make sense of all the numbers and terms that danced on the page before her. It was incredibly strange when the music player started blinking uncontrollably and prompted her to "show all hidden files" the second she entered her work's shared drive. But now? She didn't even know where to begin. The files she saw, the numbers, the charts, the illusive information...it all...

She had run out of time to digest the information. In an instant, she felt something massive muffle half of her face and a cool, sharp edge pressed roughly against her throat. A hot breath brush against her earlobe as one earbud was loosened from her ear cavity. A distinctively male voice took its place. "If you scream or move, I'll end you...understand?"

Shino's blood felt like ice. She inhaled deeply, suddenly aware that she could feel her heartbeat pound inside her own ears. "Mmmfph..." she desperately tried to express her understanding and overwhelming desire to live.

Donatello dug his kunai a little deeper against her neck, but still not enough to break skin. He removed the hand muffling her mouth and moved quickly to retrieve his data decoder from the laptop.

"Now," he demanded, pulling her back by her hair, forcing hazel eyes to tilt back and meet his unwavering glare. "What the _shell_ were you doing with my decoder, _Foot scum?_"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off of this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.**

_Big thanks to Ai-Kue for helping me research some of the mythological/spiritual elements of this fic. Reviews are much appreciated!_

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

Donatello held his breath as he waited for the girl to make the next move. Her pupils met his, and constricted into needle points, as her pink lips fell into a silent 'O'. There was a short pause before...

"_Aaaaaauuughhhh!_" Shino couldn't stop the scream from tearing out of her throat at the sight of the towering, green beast holding her hostage. The ear-piercing screech directed right into his face caused Donatello to jump slightly.

Feeling, the grip loosen around her neck, Shino tried to slam her elbow into her attacker's ribs. However, her joint met against something that felt like a sheet of rock.

The feeble impact against Donatello's plastron confused him more than it hurt. _What the heck is she doing?_ The Foot had enough files on him and his brothers to fill a library. Twice. And here she was, the suspicious woman with an apartment full of Shredder photos, screaming into his face and trying to "fight" him with some of the most pathetic moves he'd ever seen.

There was a struggle, as Shino took advantage of Donatello's momentary confusion, and reached up, scratching him hard across the face. As if an automatic reflex had been triggered, the stunned turtle punched the woman in the gut. She instantly flew back against the nearest wall and crumbled, wide-eyed and struggling to breathe. _Okay...definitely NOT a ninja,_ Donatello instantly realized with a twinge of regret. _But still may have dangerous ties to the Foot._

The pain was overwhelming Shino. Her entire torso throbbed, and her extremities went numb from the impact."Wh-what is this...some kind of costumed burglary?" she managed to choke out.

"Burglary?" The turtle beast looked offended. "I'm not trying to burgle you! _You're_ the suspicious one!"

"Really? Because you just broke into my apartment and threatened to kill me!" she spat, heaving slightly, as if about to vomit.

Was it her or did the creature suddenly seem conflicted? "Well, you took my decoder, and I saw you using it to do something weird with all these Foot files!"

"Foot files?" Shino grimaced in confusion. "What does that even mean?! I _**found**_ your decoder-thing on the streets and had _**zero**_ intentions of keeping it. Please. Just take it and _**leave!**_"

"Oh, I'll take this back alright, but not before you stop playing dumb, and tell me what THIS is all about!" Donatello flipped her laptop around and a large, olive green finger poked hard against the a red foot-shaped icon on one of the opened documents. "The _Shikatsu no hon_ Project ? What is this?!"

A honey-colored strand of hair fell over her hazel eyes as she shook her head from side to side. "I don't know! I put your decoder in my computer and it prompted me to _'show all hidden files'_ on my work's share drive. I was curious, and now all this stuff's starting to show up!"

"...Where do you work?" She could see the wheels in his mind turning from the look in his eyes.

"Oroku Corp. I'm just an appraiser for their Arts & Artifacts Department."

Oroku Corp. Donatello knew this name well. The general New York public knew it as an investment firm that also had its hand in big-name philanthropy projects. The Shredder had been smart about that. He portrayed himself as a benevolent and wealthy philanthropist in the public eye and gained a lot of powerful fans - the mayor, notable financial backers, and even the chief of police. This way, the Foot had leeway to act as if they were above the law. "If you're just an innocent appraiser, then why all the pictures of the Shredder around your apartment? Who are you to him?"

"The _who_?"

Donatello gritted his teeth. Either he had really made a huge mistake, or she was giving him an Oscar-worthy performance. "_This man!_" he reiterated, whipping out his bō staff and smacking it against a photo against the wall.

"You're mistaken, that's not whatever it is that you just called him. That's Uncle Saki...he was a close family friend. He gave my dad a job when we first immigrated from Japan." The expression on her face no longer read of shock, but anger and annoyance.

"Doing what?"

"The same thing I do now...an appraiser for the artifacts that Oroku Corp procures. Many of them go to auctions for charity." Determined hazel eyes stared back into his unflinchingly.

Donatello let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. His eyes quickly scanned through the open document of this so-called _Shikatsu no Hon_ Project. There were mentions of weapons, stolen artifacts, and even a list of deceased individuals. The file was riddled with terms he was unfamiliar with, mostly in Japanese and from spiritual texts he'd skimmed in his youth. Still, this subject matter was definitely _not_ his forte. From the corner of his eye, he saw the woman shift on the floor. "Don't move..." he warned, pointing his bō in her direction. She froze instantly. "Your name?"

"Shino...Shino Mori..." she replied carefully, holding up both hands to indicate surrender.

"Shino...I really wish I could tell if your story just so happens to be the truth or if you have a promising future in acting." A large thumb rubbed the underside of his broad, green jaw in deep thought. "I believe I should seek a second opinion. Luckily, I know a few guys who are quite good at getting to the bottom of things." He reached into his belt, pulled out a strange looking phone, and sent a quick message with his free hand. "And while we wait for them to get here, let me tell you a little story about your benevolent Uncle Saki and the Oroku Corp..."

* * *

"Dis betta be good, Leo," Raphael grumbled as he and his brothers leapt from roof to roof. "I just spent two days on a cargo plane in high turbulence. You know what dat does ta me, bro."

"Stop complaining, Raph." Leo replied curtly. "This could be serious. Donnie thinks someone with ties to the Foot took his decoder and unlocked a devious project that he can't completely decipher."

"That's doesn't sound too good, dude," Michelangelo chimed in while backflipping onto another building. "Donnie can figure anything out! If he doesn't know, how would we?"

"I don't know, Mikey. His text didn't have too many details. He just said we needed to see something in person and help him separate the lies from the truth."

"Oh, I think we can handle dat," Raph smirked as he smashed his fist into his palm.

* * *

Shino's mouth felt incredibly dry. There wasn't just one, but _four_ enormous tutles in her apartment, and all of them were armed to the teeth with ninja weapons. They had briefly introduced themselves before immersing her into a brutal interrogation.

After she finished answering the last question, the one named Leonardo studied her carefully. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before releasing a long exhale. "...She's telling the truth, guys."

"How can you be so sure?" Donatello asked skeptically.

"It's just...this _feeling_...she has an aura of goodness around her," His voice carried the utmost conviction, and Shino felt a bit of relief wash over her.

"A _feeling_?" the one named Raphael rolled his eyes so hard that Shino could almost hear his eyeballs scratch the back of his sockets. He was huge. Even in comparison to his impressive brothers, he stood out like a gargantuan mass of concrete muscle. "Listen Fearless, just cuz ya try ta act like Splintah these days, doesn't mean you _are_ Splintah, got it? How can we just go off a feeling? We can't just go trustin' strangers based on guesses!" The hulking turtle strode over to Shino. She didn't think he could be more intimidating, but up close, she was proven wrong.

"Raphael...ENOUGH!" Leonardo ordered firmly. "Step off."

Raph paused and glowered at Shino, amber eyes flickering menacingly. "Listen, missy. Unlike my bro, I don't have no soft spot for girls associated with da Foot. So don't try anything stupid... _or else_..."

"Hey hey hey!" The one with the orange mask suddenly bounded in between the two and separated them quickly. "It's okay guys... chill! If Leo says she's cool, she's cool." Michelangelo extended a muscular arm to help her off the floor. "We're sorry about putting you on the hot seat like that, dudette. But my bros just have to make sure you weren't part of that other ninja group that's trying to kill us! It's kinda a ninja-feud thing..." He beamed at her, seemingly unaffected by the serious conversation topic. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah..." Shino answered slowly, still bewildered by this whole situation. "It's just **a lot** to digest. I mean, just a few hours ago, I thought I was just an employee at a successful company, and now...I'm to believe it's just a facade for a clan of corrupt ninja terrorizing New York? And Uncle Saki...was _a criminal?!_ It's just so hard to...accept."

"Harder to accept than the fact that we're not wearing costumes?" Michelangelo joked while patting her on the back.

"That too! Geez... mutant...ninja...turtles!" her voice shook slightly; her mind felt like a jumbled mess.

"What really worries me though is this _Shikatsu no Hon_ Project that we seem to have stumbled upon." Leonardo redirected the conversation.

"_Shikatsu no Hon_..." Shino repeated. "I think it means _'The Book of Life and Death'_ if my rusty Japanese serves me correctly."

"Yes, that's right," Leo concurred. "It looks like the Foot has obtained some sort of an ancient book and have plans to do something very strange with it..." Leonardo continued, sitting down in front of her laptop, scrolling through each page.

"There's pages in the budget that show that they've also siphoned a lot of client funds to buy weapons. And additional funds have been spent for travels to Japan for some sort of unidentified 'recruitment' process." Donatello noted, pointing at several different locations on the screen.

"I saw bits of that earlier...is my company embezzling money?" Shino asked curiously. Now that the interrogation was over, she too wanted more answers about these secret files. "Is this a matter that we should report to the Board of Directors?"

"Board of Directors?" Donatello repeated, raising an eye ridge. She really was naive. "No, this goes much deeper than that..."

"Like...more ninja stuff?"

"Perhaps," Leonardo noted, eyes glued onto the screen. "Tell me, Shino...do you know anything about this 'List of the Deceased' marked under the 'Failed Trials' folder?"

"No...I don't," She could still feel Raphael's eyes glued onto her every movement from the where he loomed in corner of the room. His arms were crossed and a frown was deepening on his face. Shino suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"So do these names mean anything to you?" Leonardo squinted at the screen and started to decipher some of the Japanese characters. "Misato Fujimoto, Keiko Ueno, Juro Nakano..."

Shino bit her lower lip and continued to shake her head at every name he read aloud. "They sound familiar, but I can't seem to..."

"Minoru Mori..."

"Wait!" her heart stopped at the sound of this particular name. "Did you just say Minoru Mori?"

"Yes, " Leonardo paused and looked up. "You know this person?"

"That's my father...or..._was_ my father."

"How did he die?"

"He had a heart attack at work..."

"Did you see it? Did you see him have the heart attack?" Leonardo pressed on.

"Well, no! I mean...I was out of the state for grad school at the time. I remember receiving a call from Karai saying it just happened while he was working... so I didn't see..." she noticed Leonardo raising an eye ridge as he stared at the computer screen. The expression on his face made her feel suddenly unwell. "...What does else does it say about these names? About my father's name?"

"Well..." There was some clicking around as Donatello directed Leonardo to another file. There was a long inhale from the two before Leonardo proceeded to read again, "It says...Minoru Mori...Trial# 00678...Failed. Subject could not contain _akuma_. Cause of Death: Incineration."

"Wh-what? That doesn't make any..." Shino felt her legs automatically carry her over to the two turtles hovered by her laptop. The other two quickly joined behind her.

"There's a video clip..." Donatello noted. "Should we..."

"Do it," Shino said solemnly. "I need to know if this is some kind of a sick joke..."

The four brothers exchanged uneasy looks before Leonardo hesitantly pressed the button to start the video. It was a clip of her father, dressed in the traditional garb of a Japanese priest, mumbling a Japanese chant that was hard to make out. Suddenly, he dropped to the floor, writhing painfully on the ground. He seemed to be in a trance, but he kept mumbling the chant. Then, a horrifying thing happened. It looked as if there was some sort of invisible force jerking his limp body around like he was a victim in an exorcist movie. Tears began to well in Shino's eyes at this horrific scene, blurring her vision. They spilled over her cheeks just in time for her to see her father being lifted off the ground by this invisible force. He released an agonizing scream before his body spontaneously bursted into flames.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.**

* * *

Shino's hair shimmered with golden highlights beneath the luminous full moon. Long strands billowed against the wind as she hugged her knees closer to her chest. She had lost track of how long she had sat on the rooftop with her silent companion.

Covertly sneaking a glance at him, she noticed him sitting as still as a stone. Oddly enough, she found the sight of him rather calming to the torrent of emotions simmering within her. _He seems so serene; it's kind of beautiful,_ Shino thought, surprising herself.

"How are you feeling now?" Leonardo spoke deliberately in a way that said he knew she was staring.

"More coherent," Shino admitted with slight embarrassment. "Sorry about earlier in the apartment..."

"No need to apologize. It was _your _tableware and _your _furniture," It was his attempt at lightening the mood, but Leonardo's efforts were too subtle.

"I'm usually not violent or emotional like that. I was just-" Shino couldn't clearly recall the fit of rage and sorrow that overcame her after that terrible video ended. There was a crash, voices, and a set of muscular, green arms tried to stop her, but she ran up the fire escape to her current location, her place of solace.

And that's when he followed, slowing and unassuming. Unlike his brothers, Leonardo didn't say a word or try to drag her back inside. Instead, he just sat quietly, several feet away and stared at the starry sky while Shino silently held her head between her knees.

"It's okay. He was your father. I don't blame you for your reaction. Losing a father is painful...in any circumstance..." His voice carried a sincerity born from the weight of personal experience.

Shino decided she would ask later. Right now, she was too preoccupied with accepting what had happened to _her_ father. "He was a good man, you know. Dad may have worked for Oroku Corp, but he was honorable."

Leonardo simply nodded, and encouraged her to continue.

"We grew up very poor in Japan; he was just a simple priest at a local temple. Always worked hard, even though the temple had been struggling for a while. He didn't care though. Just said as long as we were there to provide spiritual fulfillment to even just **one** person, we were making a difference."

"He sounded like a virtuous man..."

"He was," she affirmed, looking him dead in the eyes. The blue clad turtle was taken aback by the way Shino's gaze caught him beneath the moonlight. It reflected a fire and determination that sent a jolt of electricity through his veins. And then he felt it again, the overwhelming sensation of calmness, purity, and goodness that he sensed when he first met her.

"But when my mother died, he was very vulnerable. That's when Uncle Saki showed up and offered him a job in New York. Said he needed Dad's expertise on Japanese religious artifacts and texts. I think he was keen to leave behind the sad memories, so he said yes."

Leonardo frowned, "I'm sorry, Shino..."

She looked away and absentmindedly began to trace cracks in the concrete rooftop with a slender finger. "We should have _never_ moved here..."

A large green hand swept gently over her knuckles and rested for a brief second. "Don't worry, Shino. We'll find out what the Foot did to your father. And we'll make sure they're brought to justice." Shino looked down at the hand; it was enormous compared to hers, but Leonardo cleared his throat and removed his touch immediately.

"Really? But that video we just saw...and all the ninja stuff your brothers were telling me about. It sounds too dangerous. I don't even know if the cops could handle this..."

He surprised her with a soft chuckle. "The police? No. But if my family and I could defeat the Shredder, we can certainly be of help. Don't underestimate us, we've been fighting the Foot for as long as I can remember."

Shino's lips softened into a pleasant smile. It was contagious, as Leonardo felt his own lips twitch slightly in response."You're very brave and very kind, Leonardo..."

She was beautiful, yes, but he wanted to kick himself for thinking that during such a tragic time. A barely audible shift in the shadows reset Leonardo's countenance back to inexpressive. "Donnie,would you like to join us now?" he asked the shadows tepidly.

The top of a bald, olive green head emerged first, followed by two sheepish brown eyes cloaked behind a purple bandana. "Sorry guys, I didn't want to interrupt, but I found some infor-"

"Whoa! How long have you been there?" Shino's question sounded more like an accusation. "You've been eavesdropping this whole time?!"

Leonardo noticed that as his younger brother approached, Shino backed away slowly.

"No," Donatello replied too quickly. "I just wanted to see how you guys were doing."

Leonardo's eyes shot back and forth between Donatello and the young woman. "It's okay, Shino. Donnie's not going to hurt you."

"Oh isn't he?!" the girl fiercely yanked navy blue sweater up to reveal an ugly red, swelling mark precisely the size of his brother's fist on her stomach.

"Donatello...you _didn't_..."

"He _did_," Shino fumed.

"Only because I thought she was the Foot and she gave me_ this!_" Donatello indignantly pointed to the four jagged scratch marks streaked across his cheek. "It was self-defense."

"Said the asshole who broke into my apartment and threatened to, oh what was it? _'End'_ me?"

"I was mistaken!"

"You were vicious!"

"An exaggeration!"

Leonardo could almost hear lightning bolts crackling as Donatello and Shino's stared intently at each other. "Er...Donnie, you said you came up here to tell us something?" he attempted to break the tension.

Donatello gave one final squint at the girl who was getting under his skin more than he liked and turned to face his older brother, "I think I may have found some interesting similarities between the victims of the _Shikatsu no Hon_ Project. We may have some clues on what the Foot are up to."

* * *

_**[Hours later in Shino's living room]**_

"I can't believe that Uncle- er- _the Shredder_ was systematically poaching priests and priestesses across Japan for for this deranged _Shikatsu no Hon_ project," Shino rubbed her face with both hands. It was late, and she was mentally and emotionally exhausted.

Donatello stared at the map opened on her laptop, scattered with a pattern of red dots representing temples in Japan that each of the victims had come from.

"I think we're stuck though," Donatello said impatiently, enlarging several screen shots that he had cropped from each video. "We know that in each video, the victim is seen reciting chants out of this weathered book before they die. We agree based on the smudged calligraphy on its cover that this is _Shikatsu no Hon_, or so-called 'Book of Life and Death,' that the Project references. But what this book does or doesn't do is still an area of disagreement."

Leonardo was firm on his stance, "I'm telling you, these deaths are caused by supernatural beings. In olden times, many priests and priestesses wrote their own chants and prayers in books such as the _Shikatsu no Hon_. Some were blessings, but others were specifically for exorcisms or for controlling demons."

"Okay, dat definitely sounds crazy." Raphael confirmed, shaking his head in disbelief. "And I don't wanna watch anymore of those disgustin' videos. We're gettin' no where."

"It's not crazy, Raph. Look at what each victim's file says." Leonardo pulled up the evidence to support his theory.

_Misato Fujimoto: Trial #00244/ Failed/ Rokurokubi/ Cause of Death: Extreme Loss of Blood_  
_Keiko Ueno: Trial #00412/ Failed/Goryō/ Cause of Death: Strangulation_  
_Minoru Mori: Trial# 00678/Failed/Akuma/Cause of Death: Incineration_

"These terms here -the _rokurokubi, goryō,_ and _akuma_ - are all types of demonic spirits or _yōkai_ from Japanese mythology. Not all _yōkai_ are evil, but the spirits listed here aren't exactly the nice type. An _akuma_ are fire demons, the _goryō_ are wrathful and vengeful spirits, and the _rokurokubi _generally just like to frighten people, but some have been known to drink human blood or consume flesh." Leonardo looked up to see four sets of eyes as large as saucers staring back at him."Seriously guys? Did none of you pay attention when Splinter taught us about Japanese folklore?"

"Er...I think that is definitely more your area of interest, Leo." Donatello sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "And I'm going to have to agree with Raph. I don't know about all this supernatural stuff. The videos are gorey, yes, but we've dealt with invisible forces before. Remember the Foot Tech? They had cybernetic armor that made them faster, stronger, and yes, literally invisible to the naked eye. We've watched these videos over and over again, and while you're saying it's demonic forces, I still can't rule out a more logical explanation. Maybe the Foot Tech are getting more powerful."

"But these aren't the Foot Tech or any type of special effects," Leonardo was noticeably ruffled. "Why would the Foot go through the trouble of collecting priests if they just wanted to test out armor on victims? You could get anyone off the streets for that. You watched the same videos I did. It's more than just a coincidence that the manner of the victims' deaths match up with the folklore behind the yōkai names on their files. It's _got_ to be supernatural."

"I with Leo on this one, bro..." Michelangelo looked visibly unnerved.

Donatello wouldn't budge. "I'm not going to rule out Leo's theory completely, but I think we need to be open to other more plausible explanations. Heck, even Raph is with me on this one."

"Right," Raph said with an uneasy snort. "I mean if there are Japanese floatin' around, what's next? Werewolves? Vampires?"

"I think Raph only agrees with you, because he's scared of supernatural stuff and doesn't want to believe it." Michelangelo muttered quietly.

"WHAT did you say, you little twerp!? I'll pound ya!" the massive turtle boomed, fist tightening up.

"Guys, guys..." Shino stepped between the two giants. "I honestly don't know if this is supernatural or cybernetic, but I don't think arguing all night about it is going to help."

"I agree," Leonardo nodded. "We need to find out more. We need to find that book."

"Now _that_ I may be able to help with," Shino brightened up significantly. "But I'm going to need some help."

"Anything you need, dudette!" Michelangelo put his hands on her shoulders in show of support. "Just tell us what you need."

"That decoder."

Donatello's lower lid twitched involuntarily.

* * *

Patent red platform pumps click-clacked briskly through the immaculate hallways of Oroku Corp as Shino marched towards an unmarked storage room. For a young woman that lived a pretty mundane life working in the corporate world, she couldn't believe she was now playing secret agent under the tutelage of four mutant ninja turtles.

Two colleagues walked past her, engaged in a frivolous conversation. They glanced at her. She gracefully eased herself into a natural smile and gave them a friendly nod before slinking around the corner unnoticed. Reaching into the back pocket of her charcoal slacks, Shino produced a high-clearance security card and swiped it against an unmarked door.

The inside of the storage room was deathly silent. Shino's eyes rapidly swept over the entire space, behind each shelf, and around each corner. Okay, all alone. _C'mon Shino. You can do this. Just as Mikey said...act natural...stay cool...stay cool. _

Shino shuffled towards the furthest corner of the room. This was the room where Oroku Corp kept all the items that were explicitly not for auction. Artifacts that were so rare or highly valued that they either went straight to Karai's personal collection, or were sold through private channels. As one of the two managing appraisers at Oroku Corp, Shino had personally verified, authenticated, and appraised many of the items in this room personally. She approached the computer that was used to archive all the details about each item.

Popping in Donatello's decoder, she began to copy the secret files it revealed onto the device. Inwardly, she was amazed at Donatello's ability to invent something stealthy enough to bypass Oroku Corp's high security system. Outwardly, she would never admit it since she was still pissed about the giant, purple-yellow bruise forming on her stomach. _That jerk_, she thought to herself as she recalled how he had scared the crap out of her the night before.

_[File Transfer: 80%...90%...100% COMPLETE] _

Shino jerked the decoder out of the port and stuffed it back down her bra. The hidden files instantly disappeared off the screen upon disconnection, and the young woman just sat there for a moment, as she waited for her heart rate to go back down.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" A sharp voice demanded, causing Shino to nearly jump out of her skin. She spun around to face a pair of calculating, green eyes.

Tora Himura. The other managing appraiser at Oroku Corp and a first class bitch. Tora casually smoothed the shock of platinum blonde hair that streaked her otherwise black chignon and leaned against the wall. "_Well?_"

"Oh...erm...nothing much. Just just looking for the files on that Ming Dynasty vase we procured last week." Shino moved the mouse around the screen haphazardly and randomly clicked on a few files. God, she was terrible at lying, and she knew it.

"That was sent back to the seller yesterday. Remember? I discovered it was a forgery."

Shino didn't get what Tora's deal was. After being promoted to co-manage the appraisers, Shino thought Tora could be a mentor-figure to her since she'd been doing the job a few years longer. Also, as two of the few top-ranking females in a male-dominated corporation, she assumed that they could support each other. How _very_ wrong of her to assume.

"Right...I remember now." Shino forced herself to smile. "Great job on that."

"Thanks..." her nemesis replied, eyeing her up and down. "What the hell happened to you?"

"What?" Shino's heart rate was going back up.

"You're eyes are all puffy, and you look like shit," Tora was never one to shy away from blunt observations. But what could Shino say? _Oh you know how it is when mutants come by your apartment and show you a video of your father getting set ablaze._ No, that simply wouldn't do. She wouldn't give Tora the pleasure.

"I just stayed up too late working. Karai's given me some extra projects lately."

Tora's lips thinned into a jealous little line before it mechanically twisted into a fake smile. "What extra projects?"

"Oh you know just the usual stuff. Not all that interesting," Shino shrugged and started to head out. "Anyway, you're right, I _do_ feel super tired today, so I should go freshen up!" She slammed the door behind her and quickly turned the corner to dialed the newest number in her contacts list.

"Hey, Mikey. It's me. Yeah, I got it. Meet me at my place tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.**

_A/N: I want to give a special thanks to those who have left a review and/or have been following this story. It means a lot to me that people are actually reading this story of mine and enjoying it! It's been busy lately at work and with my personal life, but I'm so happy that I have other TMNT fans to share these stories with! Feel free to always drop a line and let me know what you think! :)_

_ inujisan- This is an A/U future that has touches of 2k3, 2k7, IDW and Mirage. The Shredder in this fic is not of Utrom ancestry. Hope you're enjoying it!_

* * *

**CHAPTER 4**

"Did ya miss me?" the sudden voice crooning next her ear caused Shino to yelp and drop her tumbler of gin. As she watched the glass fall with wide eyes, a large, two-toed foot swooped out, caught the glass with perfect balance, and gracefully launched it back up into the air to be presented back to her in a green, three-fingered hand.

"MIKEY!" Shino gasped. "You scared the bejesus out of me!"

"Sorry," the orange clad turtle took a deep and playful bow. "But I thought you'd be expecting us since you called. That's why you left the window open, right?" Donatello and Leonardo appeared behind their youngest brother, each holding a stack of pizza boxes. "We brought dinner!"

"Whoa." Shino could help but to smile as both turtles unloaded their pizza haul. "That's a lotta pies, guys..."

Raphael brushed past his siblings and nodded towards her evening libation. "Is this happy hour for one or can a turtle get somethin' ta drink?"

The curious hostess obliged, directing the brawny turtle to her liquor cabinet. He seemed a lot less hostile compared to the night before. Did he finally get some sleep? she wondered to herself. "Um...help yourself, Raph."

"Don't mind if I do."

"We're not here for 'happy hour'," Leonardo asserted firmly, shooting his brother a glare, before turning to Shino. Instead of the pajamas and messy locks that she rocked on their initial encounter, Shino was wearing a pair of fitted gray slacks, red pumps, and a sheer cream colored top. Her hair was slicked back into an immaculate high ponytail, and her features were accentuated with a vibrant red lipstick and a bit of black eyeliner. The girl had style; that was incontestable. And it had an interesting effect. Without even meaning to, Leonardo found himself staring. "Sooo...how did it go today? Are you okay?" he said after clearing his throat.

"It was a bit nerve-wracking," Shino admitted, cheeks warming under his gaze. "But I'm fine now. I got the information!" She beamed at the last part, proud of her success as a first-time secret agent.

"And the decoder?" Donatello asked eagerly.

Shino rolled her eyes before reaching into her bra, which caused the turtle's eye ridges to shoot up in surprise. "Glad to see you were worried about me too," Shino said sarcastically before producing his prized gadget. "Here's your precious baby." She tossed it at him. He nearly scowled, but gulped instead when he felt the device still warm with her heat in his hand.

* * *

**[Location: Foot Tower]**

The punching bag jostled angrily against its chain, straining against the force of the unforgiving fists attacking it. Karai's strikes were quick and unpredictable. With a flying roundhouse kick, the bag finally surrendered to her onslaught, and skidded unceremoniously across the floor of her private training room.

A hesitant cough announced the presence of another. "Didn't mean to interrupt," Dr. Chaplin chose his words carefully from the lacquered doorway. "But just wanted to know if you were coming to bed anytime soon?"

Piercing green eyes flashed quickly towards the inquirer, followed by a wordless shake of her head. "Not yet." The sweat was gleaming off her brow, matting the bangs of her signature, jet black bob.

"But I've hardly seen you..."

"My work is demanding, as is my training. You know this, Chase." She was the only one to address him so casually, but given how their dynamics had moved beyond the purely professional, it made sense.

"I know, I know..." He rubbed the back of his neck dejectedly. "It's just that-"

She held up a pale hand to signal the end of the conversation, "I'll see you tomorrow night." Then a fleeting smile to appease his aching heart, "I promise..."

And just like that, he melted into the palm of her hand like clockwork. "Of course, my love." Dr. Chaplin said quietly, taking one last longing look at her. "If you need me, I'll be in the lab." The door shut behind him, and the exhausted kunoichi quickly doubled over, shaking arms bracing her weight against the nearest wall. The lights above flickered erratically, and a sudden cold swept through her dojo. It was happening again. She clenched her eyes shut, and waited for the familiar voice to announce itself after the static buzzing died down in her ears.

"_Karaiii..._" The chilling whisper was both unnerving and oddly comforting.

"Father..." she managed through her chattering of her teeth.

"_I grow tired of your failures_..." even in death he made his disappointment evident. "_My spirit cannot rest until you find me the one who can harness the powers of the Shikatsu no Hon..._"

"I understand, but all of the test subjects have failed to use the book properly. The demons and spirits that they summon in the trial runs have destroyed them all. They did not possess the spiritual powers required," Karai grimaced as the floors and walls around her began to vibrate, violently toppling a display of naginatas.

"_SILENCE!_" the Shredder's demonic voice howled like an intruding wind. "_I grow wary of your excuses, Karai. Everyday my spirit grows stronger, but yet I lack the bridge that will return me to the land of the living. The bridge that will help me fulfill my destiny. I WILL destroy the Hamato clan and have the world bow before me. Do you understand?!_"

Karai fell to her knees and bowed deeply to the darkness. "Yes, father..."

"_Excellent,_" the shaking of the walls ceased, and the ghostly echo began to fade. "_My patience runs thin. Do not fail me._"

"No... no, I won't." Karai's fists clenched. Slowly, the ice that hung in the air began to dissipate, and the warmth returned to her body, as the lights flickered back on. Just in time, since her phone began to ring too shrilly for her taste. She took a moment to recompose herself before answering, "This better be good, Tora."

* * *

"Shiryô?" Donatello repeated again. "Are you serious? An evil spirit that grows stronger by absorbing other spirits?"

"Right," Leonardo nodded, leaning back against Shino's dining chair. "The Japanese say that when someone dies and is so consumed by an emotion, such as vengeance, rage, or jealousy, that they are doomed to wander the world as an angry spirit. The soul cannot rest as long as it's clinging onto remnants of its past life. Spirits like these, like the shiryô, absorbs other spirits, and it grows more powerful, but more evil at the same time."

"Typical Shredder. Still a dick even in death," Michelangelo observed openly, while reaching for his ninth slice of pizza. "We've kicked his butt so many times, but he just keeps finding different ways of coming back for more!"

"So do you believe me now, Donnie?" Leonardo asked, noticing his brainy brother's lack of response. "Or do you still think there is some other explanation?"

Donatello frowned and stared at the files Shino stole from Oroku Corp. It took a lot to make the genius turtle's head ache, but wrapping his mind around the supernatural seemed to do the trick. "I suppose..._**theoretically**_, I wouldn't put it past Shredder to try to raise an army of the undead with some 'magical' book he found decades ago." He paused and absentmindedly stroked the decoder on the side of the laptop. "And I suppose, if that book actually worked the way these records indicate then -**_hypothetically speaking_**- I could see the Foot wanting to use it to resurrect the Shredder."

Shino noticed a corner of Leonardo's lip turn upwards in a half-smirk. She on the other hand, had bigger fish to fry besides trying to get Donatello to believe in ghosts and demons. "Um guys, can we get back to the part about _my name_ being on the list of potential subjects? It doesn't make sense. My father was the priest. I probably couldn't conjur anything from that book even if they paid me."

"Well, they're not going to pay you. That's for sure," Raph said darkly while looking at the bottom of his empty glass. "They're gonna kill you."

"_**Raph!**_" Leo admonished before turning to Shino. "Listen, we would never let the Foot take you in the first place. We're here to protect you."

"Yeah..." Shino glanced skeptically at Raphael, finishing her most expensive scotch, and then at Donatello who kept fiddling with the decoder like it was going to run off on its own at any moment. "So what's the next step?"

"Regardless of WHY the Foot want to test you as a subject, we should probably just find that book and destroy it," Donatello suggested. "End this at its source. Then we don't have to play bodygaurd 24/7."

Shino blinked, slightly affronted. "First off, I don't need a bodyguard. I've taken care of myself just fine. And secondly, where would you even begin to look for it? The files said the _Shikatsu no Hon_ went straight to Karai's personal collection after the Shredder passed. It could be anywhere."

Before Donatello could reply a heavy knock froze the entire room. Silence. Then a second, more aggressive knock followed. "Shino? Shino, you there?" The muffled man's voice was familiar to her, and she took a brief glance at the door before turning back to- _wait, where did the go?_ Her kitchen was suddenly empty. _Right. Ninja. Of course._

Shino smoothed her hands over her hair, and headed towards the door to look through the peephole. Peyton from Accounting was at her door. _What the hell?_

"Um, hey Pey...can I help you?" Shino said as she opened the door. A long, extended gust of wind blew in, causing her to shiver slightly in her thin blouse. _Odd...how does wind get into a hallway?_ She thought to herself. Still not as odd as Peyton showing up. They were friendly at work, sure, but by no means did their relationship ever progress to sporadically showing up at each other's apartments in the night. This was new.

"Hey, Shino. Sorry to barge in on your evening without calling beforehand. I was in the neighborhood and just wanted to see if you wanted to go out and grab some din-" She watched as his eyes roamed behind her and settled on the four ravaged pizza boxes on her dining room table. "Oh...you have company?"

"Oh yea, just some old college friends," she lied. "They just left."

No sooner had the words left her mouth, Peyton quite literally barged in. Then it all happened in a flash. Peyton's fit, 6 foot, 2 inch frame expertly lunged at her, but not before something zinged by her head. A single sai pinned her attacker's wrist back against the wall. Raphael descended from the ceiling and pressed the tip of his other sai to Peyton's throat. "Is dis guy botherin' ya?" he asked Shino with a growl.

"_Shimatta!_" Peyton cursed under his breath. "The turtles!"

"You know them?!" Shino asked in shock.

"ATTACK!" Peyton commanded to seemingly no one.

"FOOT TECH!" Leonardo shouted as the room burst with the clanging of dueling weapons. All mayhem broke loose. Peyton unwisely initiated a one-handed grappling match with Raphael, which ended quickly with a sai through his neck. Soon all four turtles were engaged in acrobatics and fighting what appeared to be invisible forces. Every now and then, when the turtles struck their unseen target, there would be the sound of a pained grunt, followed by the brief flickering of the holographic figure, armed to the teeth in ninja gear.

_So these are the Foot Tech!_ Shino thought to herself. "How did they even get in?!" she ducked behind a counter as dents and holes in her walls and furniture started to appear along with flying weaponry from every direction. "I didn't even see them!"

"That's the point! Cybernetic armor!" Donatello retorted over his shoulder. "Throw me the decoder!"

"WHAT?!"

"THROW IT TO ME!"

Shino crawled towards the laptop to avoid the attack overhead. "How can you think of your toy at a time like this?!" Her hand reached towards the device and grabbed it right before a metal arrow zinged right through the computer, frying it with an electrical current. Half a second slower and that zapped piece of machinery would have been her electrocuted corpse.

"DAMN IT, WOMAN! I SAID-"

"STOP YELLING AT ME!" Shino reached back to throw him the object, but flinched instead as the tip of a ninjatō blade tore her blouse open and scratched the surface of her skin before something stopped it. She held her arms up to protect her head and shut her eyes tight as whizzing and whirling happened all around her. Then she noticed the blood began to seep through her ivory blouse. A LOT of blood. Too much to be her own from superficial scratch. She looked up to come face to face with Donatello's eyes burning brown boring holes into hers. He must have only been a few inches away. He looked like he was in pain. And then she noticed everything -the multiple, offending ninjatō protruding from his body, the blood pouring from his wounds, and the three dead ninja surrounding their feet.

"Oh my god...Donnie..." she breathed. "Are-are you-"

"Why must you always put up a fight about everything?" Donatello's voice strained as he panted, slipping his hands into hers to take the decoder. A few expert flicks, and the device opened another port. "Cybernetic Interference," he rasped into the decoder. And on command, there was a chorus of agonizing screams as all the cybernetic armor in the room began to self-destruct, electrocuting the ninja that each contained. _Destroying the Foot Tech with their own technology, _Shino realized. _That decoder does everything. It's amazing. **He's**...amazing._

Twenty bodies suddenly appeared, sprawled lifeless across her apartment floor. Shino didn't even have time to register the scene. Donatello groaned and slumped forward, nearly crushing her with his incredible weight.

"UNF!" Shino caught him the best she could, and tried to hold him up with her back against the wall. "You're-you're hurt!" She couldn't make sense of what she was feeling- worry, shock, fear, guilt, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Astute... observation," he huffed against her ear. She pulled back, and he smirked weakly at her before wincing.

"We're getting out of here," Leonardo cut in immediately, removing the purple clad mass off of Shino's body with one arm, while keeping a firm grasp on a katana with the other. "We need to get Donnie some treatment. Mikey, call April!"

"Aye-aye, Captain!" Michelangelo replied. "What about Shino?"

She noticed Leonardo exchange a long and tense look with his brother with the red bandana. "She's coming with us," Leonard said finally. Raphael said nothing, but began to head towards the window. Leo reached up to untie his bandana.

"Where are we going?" Shino demanded. "What's happening!?"

"My apologies, Shino, but where we're going must remain a secret -for your safety, for my safety, and for the safety of my brothers." She couldn't see a thing by the time he finished wrapping his mask over her eyes.

"But I-"

"You'll just have to trust me," he whispered closely to her ear before sweeping her off her feet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 5**

"Are you ready Miss Himura?" Dr. Chaplin asked through the intercom. "We've sealed the doors for safety reasons, but an emergency squad will enter to assist you if you give us the signal."

Tora adjusted her white _haori _and tightened the red ribbon that held her raven locks into a singular low, side ponytail. It had been two weeks since she ratted Shino out, and she didn't feel an ounce of remorse. Smiling into the camera like a starlet ready for her close-up, Tora loved life at Oroku Corp without her competition, "I'm ready, Dr. Chaplin."

On another floor of Foot Tower, Dr. Chaplin gave Karai a knowing look. Truth was there was no emergency squad. If the demon Tora summoned turned against her, he would simply record her violent end, and mark it down as another failed trial. "Anytime you're ready then," Chaplin confirmed through the speaker.

Tora flipped through the marked pages of the _Shikatsu no Hon._ Finding a passage that she felt comfortable with, she began to recite the ancient text aloud. Her pronunciation was flawless, and the candles in the room went out immediately, but then a long silence followed.

Nothing.

Exasperated, Tora tried again, chanting more slowly this time.

Again, nothing.

Karai shook her head and slammed her ceramic cup against the steel table. The jarring clang filled Chaplin with dread. She was **not** going to be in a pleasant mood tonight.

And then it happened.

Tora chanted for a third time, and the feed began to quiver. Slightly at first, and then uncontrollably, until the camera tipped off its stand and crashed to the floor. Through the cracked screen, Chaplin could see the tilted view of Tora's white tabi peeking through the hem of her red _hakama_.

Then for the first time, the camera captured something other than the test subject. A pair of dainty, bare feet appeared next to the subject's.

_"Watakushi wo shibaru dare ga bôkenshite imasu ka? Taga tame ni hôjishimasu ka?" _it's ghostly echo crept through the speakers. **Who dares call upon me? Who shall I serve?**

* * *

_Don't sleep,_ Shino repeated to herself, sitting cross-legged across from Leo. _Don't you dare sleep. You are NOT sleeping. Nope. Just...resting...Ah! Shit! My foot is asleep! _

The young woman tried not to flinch from the burgeoning sensation of a thousand ants feasting on her foot. Leo had been so insistent about meditating regularly together in attempts to uncover any latent spiritual gifts she may possess. He surmised that there had to be _something_ about her to make Karai want her as a test subject.

And what could she do? The turtles had offered their home, saved her life, and Donatello got severely hurt because of her. It was the least she could do in return, even if just the thought of meditation could put her to sleep.

Plus, Shino couldn't deny that she enjoyed time spent with Leonardo. He was clearly the strong and silent type, but amidst the chaos that was her life presently, he brought her a sense of comfort, security, and ease. His dedication to ninjutsu was impressive, his maturity refreshing from the jerks she used to date, and she could break a chisel off those taut, muscular thighs...

_OH MY GOD,_ Shino felt the rush of blood filling her cheeks._ Why am I suddenly thinking of him like this?!_

"OKAY!" she forced herself to announce quite loudly. "I think we're done here!"

Leonardo opened one eye curiously. " Are you okay? Did you get a vision?"

"Foot!" Shino stuttered, failing to explain herself.

"A vision of the Foot?" Leonardo leaned closer to her, his honey-colored eyes now gleamed with an intensity and intrigue that did not help her current cause. "Tell me everything."

"No!" She tried to move away, but her back was already up against the wall. "I meant MY foot." She pointed at the troubled extremity to emphasize her point. "It fell asleep and it hurts."

Leo blinked for few moments before releasing an airy chuckle, "Is that all? This is actually quite common." He reached out and grabbed her by a delicate ankle and placed her foot firmly on his lap. "You need to work on your seated position, but for now, the trick is just to get the blood flowing again." His large hands began to firmly massage the bottom of her foot, making her yelp both out of shock and pain.

"It stings at first," he explained, ignoring her whimpers of protest. "But if you hit the right pressure point." His thumb pressed a satisfying stroke upwards against the arch of her foot, sending an electric jolt up her leg right into her womanly core. "The blood starts flowing to all the right places."

Another painfully delicious stroke, and Shino succumbed to an uncomely moan, "Oooh!"

She felt his fingers pause. "Better?"

Beyond mortified, Shino felt her heart pounding in her ears. Who knew Leonardo was capable of that? Tentatively, she wiggled her toes, expecting the sensation of biting ants, but instead, her limb felt completely normal - even more relaxed than before. "Wow...that was...really good," she prayed she wasn't as red as she felt.

"The key to having proper posture during meditation is-," Leonardo stopped abruptly and sniffed the air curiously. He had picked up on an enticing scent. And then it suddenly dawned on him. It was arousal. Not his, though the gods be damned if the sounds she made earlier didn't test him. No. It was hers.

Leo swallowed the knot forming in his throat. He didn't deny finding Shino beautiful from day one, but he had seen enough women scream and flee from him in terror (even if he was just trying to do a good deed) to expect a girl like Shino to find him appealing. But now? Leonardo's mind raced.

"Leo? Are you okay?"

His eyes shot up, and the animal inside ravaged the the view before him - Shino, cheeks pink, a loose strand of golden brown hair falling over her hooded eyes, and her long, shapely leg extended from her soft mint green dress.

"Shino, I..." Her sweet scent that was dismantling his self-control. "Please forgive me-"

"AUCH! GAH!" A disconcerting and hacking cough suddenly burst through from the another room, followed by the harsh clattering of tableware hitting the floor.

"Oh no!" Shino suddenly bolted upright. "Donnie!" And with that, the beautiful young woman barely in his grasp, darted out of the room, leaving Leonardo aching in more ways than one.

* * *

Donatello seized his throbbing arm, and looked disappointingly at the tray of spilled soup splattered across the kitchen floor. He had overestimated his recovery. If it wasn't embarrassing enough that he had blacked out from blood loss after the fight with the Foot Tech, now he couldn't even make his own dinner. He growled in frustration and gingerly bent down to clean up his mess.

"Donnie! Stop! Don't!" Shino rushed in hurriedly, grabbing him by the arm. "I got this. Don't strain yourself."

"I'm _not_ an invalid," Donatello protested with injured pride. "I can fix this."

"Hey Mister Difficult, NO arguing," she scolded, throwing his enormous arm around her shoulders.

"Or else?" He shot her a skeptical look.

"Or else I won't tell you what Mikey took from your lab this morning," she grinned as his openly pouted. "Now come sit down, and I'll fix you another bowl of soup."

"Bossy, bossy..." Donatello grumbled quietly to himself, as she helped him over to a kitchen chair. He soon picked up on her unusual scent. It simultaneously sparked pleasure and ugly suspicion. "I can take care of myself. I don't want to interrupt your time with Leo..."

"What?" she set him down and turned away to grab some paper towels. "We were just meditating."

"Productive session?" The sarcasm was evident.

"Actually, I almost fell asleep." Shino replied flatly. "Don't say anything to Leo, but I think I'm just going to end up disappointing the poor guy. I seriously don't think I have the spiritual, clairvoyant, or the other 'gifts' he's looking for..."

"I know the feeling," Donatello admitted. "The spiritual stuff is really not my thing either, but Leo means well. We all want to get to the bottom of why Karai is looking for you and get rid of that creepy book."

"I know, but first, you have to get better," Shino placed a bowl of chicken noodle before the purple clad turtle. She took a spoonful of the soup and held it up like a make-believe airplane. "So open wide!"

"Are you serious?" Donatello crossed his arms, unamused. "I'm not a child."

"You weren't complaining when I did this for you last week."

He blushed. "That was... under different circumstances." He would have been lying if he said he didn't enjoy the extra attention from Shino as an injured turtle. She was kinder, softer, and it was amazing how many similar interests they shared when they weren't arguing. He initially thought she was stuck-up, prissy, and annoying, but she soon proved herself to be rather brave, principled, and incredibly selfless. Even April complimented her character on several occasions, which was rare from the protective, adopted mama hen of the Hamato Clan.

Shino laughed. "Here." She held the spoon to his lips. "You can do this yourself if you insist so much."

"Well maybe I change my mind," He gave her the side-eye and opened his mouth and took in the spoonful. The twinkle in his eye filled her heart with an unexpected joy. Over the past few weeks, Shino found herself looking forward to seeing Donatello more and more. The more she talked to him, the more interested she became. He was so incredibly cultured and intelligent, and she felt like she really found someone to talk countless hours on about anything from philosophy, music, and to his fascinating inventions. She soon came to understand that he didn't intrude on women's apartments and beat them habitually.

_But what about Leo?_ Shino suddenly asked herself. The thought of what just occurred in the meditation room just moments ago filled her with a terrible realization. She was attracted to not one, but TWO giant, mutant ninja turtles. _Oh no...as if life wasn't complicated enough..._

"AAAAAW! Aren't you two just ADORABLE?!" Michelangelo's boisterous quip snapped Shino back to reality and then made her die a little on the inside. "So cozy now even though you guys started off on the wrong FOOT!" The orange clad turtle's expression froze like a demented clown's. "GET IT?! FOOT?!"

"GET OUT OF HERE, MIKEY!" The salt shaker narrowly missed his little brother's head. "Donnie and Shinooooooo sitting in a treeeeee..." Mikey ran away singing at the top of his lungs.

"Ouch!" Donatello cursed and grabbed his shoulder. "That idiot..."

"Mikey is really something... special," Shino said in awe while instinctively resting her hands against Donatello's injury. She gently worked on rubbing the turtle's broad shoulder to help him ease the pain.

"Yes 'special,'" Donatello grumbled. "Like I always say, it's hard to tell he's nearly 30 years old." He was struggling to keep his eyes open. Shino's hands were incredibly soft and seemed to know exactly where he needed to be touched. He nearly hummed when her fingers moved up to the back of his neck to work out a few knots.

"Yea, and runs a successful blog that generates so actual funds from ads," Shino agreed.

"Not to mention fangirls."

"What?"

"Yep. They all clamor over him online, begging to meet him."

Shino thought of a selfish question that she had recently wondered about herself. "Does he even want to? I mean...do turtles...er _Mikey _even like human girls?"

"Oh yea. Are you kidding me? Mikey is a shameless flirt."

Shino giggled, suddenly relieved. "I could see that, but wouldn't those girls freak out if they ever saw Mikey in person?" She felt his muscles tighten beneath her hands. "No offense or anything," she followed up quickly. "I personally think you guys are the handsomest turtles I've ever met." She tried to play it off as a half-truth, half-joke.

"Um...no offense taken," the muscles relaxed. "Mikey has a theory about why the fangirls wouldn't be scared. He says all those girls on his blog already have crushes on fictional superheroes, aliens, and even mutants. Thus, he thinks he'd suit their taste just fine." Donatello chuckled. "If anything, _they_ would be the one freaking _him_ out with how rabid they can get."

Shino laughed. "And what do you think?" She rubbed the back of his neck from base to scalp, drawing a soft hum from him.

"Mmm...I'm not really into a hoard of girls. Call me a simple turtle, but one is plenty for me."

"What's going on here? Is everything okay?" Leonardo's demanded as he entered suddenly with Raphael behind him. "What was Mikey yelling about?"

"Oh, we're just fine. Mikey was just starting trouble as Mikey does," Shino grinned playfully, hands stilling on Donatello's neck. "And Donnie just dropped a bowl earlier, but I just got him another one. No big deal!"

"I see," Leonardo glared at his younger brother. "Donnie should be healed enough in a few days to be on patrol again to look for the _Shikatsu no Hon._ Isn't that right, Donnie?"

"Yes, I think so," his brother agreed, lifting an eye ridge to wordlessly question his eldest brother's evident irritation. "My remote monitoring of various Foot offices hasn't turned up any real leads though. Aside from what Shino found about the book being in Karai's personal collection, we'll need to patrol the grounds and research a little longer to identify the exact location."

"Not _too_ much longer, I hope. We still have a mission at hand. The spoon-feeding and massaging can wait." The last part was definitely a dig that enlightened Donatello.

The tension between the two brothers went from 0 to 100. Even the immeasurably long and potent belch that quickly followed from Raphael did little to help. 'Well, if ya ask me, it's pointless ta scour all of New York for one little book. I say we grab a couple a Foot jerks and beat 'em till they tell us where it is."

"I highly doubt every single Foot ninja would know about a project this secretive," Donatello rolled his eyes. "This is incredibly privileged information we've obtained."

"A book as precious as the _Shikatsu no Hon_ would be difficult to find," Shino tried to ameliorate the awkwardness. "Heck, Karai probably sleeps with that thing under her pillow for all we know!" She chuckled tensely at her futile attempt at a joke.

The silence in the room was deafening.

Leonardo was the first to end it. "I'm going on a run," he said and turned to leave.

"I'm comin' with." Raph responded immediately.

"No... I won't be long," Leonardo used a tone that suddenly sounded very dangerous.

"You sure, Fearless?" Raphael rumbled quietly, equally dangerous.

"Yes." And in a flash, Leo was gone. And Shino was positive that she was missing something very important.

* * *

Karai moaned as her release finally came, gripping the black satin sheets tightly as her lover thrusted deeply within her, pouring his seed. Chaplin nuzzled her ivory column of a neck, coming down from his high, and looked at his contented lover. It had been a while, but she looked genuinely happy tonight. "I love you," he whispered before pressing a deep kiss on her scarlet lips.

"I can't believe we did it," Karai breathed when they finally broke for air. "We found someone strong enough to use the book." Emerald eyes were invigorated with a new sense of determination. "We must move her to Phase 2 as soon as possible."

The red-haired doctor blinked in surprise. "I said...I _love_ you," he repeated, brows furrowing slightly.

"I know," the woman beneath him smiled softly at him, hands caressing the side of his face. "And I wouldn't have been able to come this far without you. "

His brown eyes searched hers for a moment, waiting for more, before he sighed and rolled onto his back to stare at the high ceilings of the luxurious bed chambers. "I think we should wait on Phase 2. Maybe run a few more trials with the subject to make sure she has the capacity to channel Master Shredder's spirit-"

"NO. Tora is ready. She has to be."

"But-"

Her lips engulfed with his in a sensual kiss. "Think..." she breathed softly. "After this is finished, we will have much more time together."

Chaplin's chest tightened with desire and uncertainty. "True, but..."

"I can't do this without you," Karai placed another kiss on his jaw, while fingers expertly trailed down his abdomen. "I need you, Chase..."

He groaned. "I need you to, my love..." He didn't finish because her movements suddenly stalled. "What's-"

"Shh!" Karai withdrew her hand and looked out the sliding glass door overlooking balcony. Her sheer, red curtains billowed with the shift in the winds. "Stay here," she said quietly, throwing on short black silk robe.

Chaplin watched sadly as his lover's figure leapt over the balcony and disappeared into the night.

* * *

Leonardo gazed out at the brightly lit cityscape before him. With arms crossed and bandana tails whipping against the wind, he didn't need to turn around to know that she had felt his presence as well. "Karai."

"Leonardo." Her voice always had a way of tightening itself around his heart. "It has been much too long. I've missed you."


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.**

* * *

_I've missed you._

The words echoed with the ghost of memories past, but Leonardo turned to face the kunoichi, without missing a beat. "How is Dr. Chaplin?

"Absolutely _fantastic._"

"I'm not here to play games, Karai. I'm here for the _Shikatsu no Hon._ We know all about your plan, and I'm giving you _one_ chance to hand it over peacefully."

The leader of the Foot threw her head back with a haughty guffaw. "Or else?"

"I _take_ it from you by force."

This only elicited an infuriating smirk from those crimson lips. "How about a trade then? The book for my old friend, Shino." She noticed his body tense at the mention of the name and laughed.

"I said _no games._"

"You were always so serious, Leonardo," Karai feigned a small sigh. "Well, I suppose some things never change..." Her eyes flashed like cold steel, hand darting back to grasp the kaiken dagger tucked in the silken sash of her robe. Instead of its handle, she felt his powerful hand twisting her wrist back. Leonardo had appeared behind her with lightning speed. It had been two years since the two had spoken, let alone faced-off. And if Karai had been wondering what Leonardo had been up to, she quickly realized that relentless training must have been at the top of his list. A large, green arm lugged itself around her neck, drawing her back against his plastron.

"You also haven't changed. Still carrying weapons in your sleepwear, I see." he observed flatly.

"Of course. We _were_ ardent practitioners of _safe sex_, were we not?" The shameless truth caught the stoic turtle off guard for a split second. A window of opportunity just large enough for the master kunoichi to free herself in time to enjoy his visible cringe.

"Let us leave the past where it belongs," Leonardo demanded, drawing his katana in noticeable irritation. "Karai, this is your last chance. Don't bring the Shredder back from the dead. Don't sacrifice your freedom to seek a more honorable life."

"_Freedom?_" She sprung into attack; kaiken meeting katana. "How **_little_** you understand!"

He grunted, narrowly dodging a vicious blow. "You seek to use the unholy to gain power over the innocent. You killed priests and priestesses for your father's demon. What else is there to understand? The Shredder is DEAD. Make a better choice, and seek out your own destiny!"  
"_CHOICE?!_" His words seemed to fuel the fury behind her attacks. "What do _you_ understand of choice, Leonardo?! The Shredder's demon HAUNTS me in sleep and wake. My beloved father lives in _purgatory_!" Emotions gave way to error, and with a single misplaced strike, Karai felt her kaiken knocked clean out of her hand. As it clanged against the ground, she stared defiantly at her opponent. "I share his hell. _Everyday._ Tell me what you would do if it were _your father_?"

Leo struck the unarmed kunoichi and pinned her to the ground, pressing the katana to her neck. The moonlight reflected off his blade, highlighting the wetness that glossed her radiant eyes. He steeled his will as to not sink into those unbearably familiar and sad emerald pools. "I would choose differently..."

"Like that night?" Her question tore the stitches off an old emotional wound.

"Karai...what we had was-" He faltered before gritting his teeth. "We were doomed from the very start."

She eyed him up and down with disgust. "You lecture me on _freedom_ and _choice_. You speak of _honor_ and _loyalty._ But how often did we deceive our families to consummate our love against the odds? We had an unspoken arrangement, an understanding of each other than no one else could possibly fathom," she inhaled softly. "Two years, Leonardo. How could you? I never asked you for more. I _never_ made you choose."

"But someone else did," he answered quietly. Golden brown eyes met her wild, burning green. Leonardo waited for that familiar flame to ignite in his chest, but it never came. He found his mind drifting towards Shino, and a new desire raged within him - the desire to keep Shino safe and protected, to do what's right for the world and his family. "Our time has passed, Karai," he uttered decidedly.

The beautiful kunoichi's face contorted angrily. "Then so be it..." she spat, adroitly twisting her hips, to take his balance and reverse their positions. She pinned him down and artfully turned his own blade against him with a punishing speed. "I will drain your blood until your veins run as hollow as your words of honor and empty promises, Leonardo!"

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" the thick Brooklynite accent was followed closely by a flying sai. Karai dodged by rolling away, leaving Leonardo to catch his brother's weapon.

"GUARDS! TO THE ROOF!"

In Foot territory without two of his brothers, Leonardo instantly recognized that he and Raph would soon be overwhelmed with Elite Guards. He signaled to retreat. "Karai! Give us the book! We can help you!" he pleaded one last time.

"Da HELL we are!" Raphael thundered, shaking with rage. "You shoulda slit her throat when you had da chance!"

"Your plan will never work!" Leonardo strong-armed his much larger brother towards the ledge, and the two barely absconded into the darkness before the guards swarm the roof.

Karai stared emotionlessly into distant flickering city lights. "It has already begun, Leonardo," she whispered quietly to herself. "It has already begun..."

* * *

"Left! Left! NO! Go LEFT!" Shino cried out, moving her elbows frantically from side to side. "COME ON! STUPID PIECE OF-"

Michelangelo laughed as he watched the girl fumble with the controller, animated face going from absolute excitement to complete disappointment on loop. "Stop moving so much!" he managed through his chuckling. "I'm getting this stuff everywhere!" The turtle hiccuped and stared at the delicate toes he was supposed to be painting. He knew humans had ten toes, but all one one foot? _Shit._ He was seeing double already.

"NOOOOO!" Shino howled, watching her knight lose his last life, and the dreaded 'GAME OVER' flashing on screen. "This game sucks!" she announced throwing the controller to the other side of the couch. "Pass the whiskey!" Taking a large swig she pulled her foot back and stared at her sloppily painted toe nails. "ORANGE?! Who's stupid idea was it to have you paint my nails?!"

"Uh..._yours!_" Michelangelo accused playfully.

"That's probably *hic* why I lost. You're too distracting!" She squinted at her digits and laughed uncontrollably. It looked like she had stepped in a vat of radioactive, orange marmalade.

"I think you lost just fine on your own," Michelangelo quipped, smugly raising an eye ridge.

"Super mean, Mikey!" the young woman pretended to be hurt, but couldn't contain her giggling.

"Super DRUNK, Shino." He took the bottle from her and polished off the last of the whiskey in two large gulps. He made a face and chased it with the liter of soda sitting next to them.

"Selfish," his friend teased, nudging him in the plastron with her toes. "And please don't quit your night job as a ninja to go into the pedicure business. Look at this! Just awful!"

"April used to tell me the same thing," Michelangelo beamed proudly. "Not everyone can look as good in orange!" He smoothed out his bandana and pretended to primp himself. "Admit it. This was SO much better than studying prayers all day. Aren't you glad I pulled you out of Leo's stuffy old room to play games?!"

She nodded, making the room spin in the other direction. "Oh man...Leo..." Shino sighed deeply. And then panic seized her. "He's going to be SO mad at me! I was supposed to memorize all of those prayers today!"

Michelangelo frowned. "Why? That's so...boring."

"I know! He says he senses a gift in me, and that I should learn these things to protect myself with all that's going on out there with the Foot and this crazy _Shikatsu no Hon_ project..."

"Oh..." her new gaming buddy seemed unimpressed with the explanation.

Shino felt warm, and the room was still spinning. "Mikey?"

"Yeah?"

"I miss my dad."

"I know you do." The youngest turtle ran his large fingers through her long, honey-colored locks and studied Shino's flushed, but contemplative face.

"I miss my friends."

"That's why I told you to take a break and do something fun for a change," he took a section of her hair to start a braid.

"Do you think I'll get to see them again when Donnie gets better? Maybe I can go topside again, just for a little bit to say hello to them," she smiled hopefully.

"I dunno, Shino..." Michelangelo's eyes were determined to focus on just that braid. "It's dangerous up there. As Leo says, the Foot are out there looking for you. We barely made it back from your apartment when we went back for your stuff."

Shino nodded. "I know...I know...and I really appreciate that you guys even tried to go back for my things. Really, I would have been just fine with what April lent me-"

"Well, Leo suggested it because he wanted you to be comfortable here." Michelangelo finished one braid and decided to start on another. "And he really wanted to go back for that picture of your dad and all his old religious texts too."

"Mikey?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think Leo will still like me if it turns out I don't have any spiritual powers?"

Michelangelo paused and and looked up. Shino was definitely drunk, but there was genuine concern behind her sparkling eyes. "Of course he'd still like you, Shino. Why are you even worried about that-" Eye ridges shot up in realization. "No...wait...Leo? REALLY?!"

Shino jumped up, immediately covering his big mouth with both hands, looking around frantically. "SHH! Just….um...don't..." she lowered her voice, staring as sternly as a drunk woman could. "You cannot, and I mean _cannot_ tell anyone, okay?" She removed her hands and held her breath in anticipation.

Three large fingers made a large X-shaped motion across his plastron. "Cross my heart," Michelangelo smiled warmly. "I'm just a little surprised is all." He snickered.

"Why? You think it's ridiculous, don't you? I mean, I know I'm a human and he's a turtle, but-"

Mikey shook his head, hitting the pause on Shino's drunken rambling. "No, no! I just thought that...well...you and _Donnie_..." He gestured towards his brainiac brother's bedroom and made clicking noises with his tongue.

Shino turned three shades redder. "Well...I didn't say that I didn't think Donnie was-" Another shade redder. Michelangelo thought the poor girl would literally turn into a tomato had he continued to prod her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He wanted to stamp his feet from the thrill of discovering this little secret. It was too good. "When did all this happen? And what are you going to do about it?!"

"I don't know!" Shino declared in half-panic and half-exasperation. "I'm just so _confused!_ There's so much on my mind..."

Michelangelo beamed, uncorking a new bottle of whiskey with his teeth. "Well, what are you waiting for? Tell Mikey all about it."

* * *

"I KNEW IT!" Leonardo heard his shell creak when Raphael shoved him into the wall of a dingy alley. "I FRIGGIN' KNEW IT, LEO! You went ta see _her_!"

"Just to find where the _Shikatsu no Hon_ was!"

"BULLSHIT!" his larger brother snarled. "I **saw** you! You **had** her, but you let her off easy like always!" A boulder of a fist came flying at Leonardo's face, crumbling a portion of the wall it struck when the target moved. "JUST when I thought this family was gettin' back ta normal, you pull dis shit?!"

"Our family _is_ back to normal!" Leonardo shouted back. "I should know, I kept them together while you disappeared for MONTHS after Splinter passed."

"Disappeared?" Amber eyes narrowed into angry glowing slits. "Dat's rich, Leo, seein' as how I was THERE da night father died. Where were you? IN LIL MISS SHREDDAH'S BED!" Spittle foamed around the corners of his mouth. "If only Splintah knew what his _number one son_ was up to!"

Leonardo growled and shoved his brother back. "It was a **mistake,** and I owned up to it. When will you just LET IT GO?!"

"Let it go? I just caught ya goin' back ta her!"

"TO LOOK FOR THE BOOK!" Leonardo hated the way Raphael knew exactly which buttons to push to make him lose his temper. He didn't want to be just like his brothers, but in times like these, his blood boiled.

The turtle in red squinted at his older brother, "It hasn't been da same, Leo. Not since Splintah died. Not since we found out about you and Karai."

"How many times do I have to apologize for -"

"I saw what I saw tonight. You were easy on her, like you were back den. You lied and said you were goin' on a run." The hulking turtle turned away.

"Raph...I..." Leonardo put his hand on Raphael's shoulder, but the his brother immediately shrugged it off as though his touch was acid. "Don't, Leo. DON'T. I can't even look atcha."

Raphael shook his head in disgust before backing away into the shadows, leaving Leo alone to simmer in shame and regret.

* * *

Donatello rubbed his maskless eyes and fumbled around for his alarm clock. **3:30AM.** Usually this would be the time he'd be going to bed, but ever since his body had been working overtime to heal, he'd been sleeping more. He couldn't complain though because how many people could recover so quickly from so many stabbings? He thanked the mutagen that coursed through his veins, and reaffirmed that he simply _loved_ being a turtle. Wondering what the noises downstairs were all about, he decided to investigate. _Mikey probably left his movies on again,_ he thought to himself.

He **did** find a video game running and shut off the annoying theme song on the start screen. What he didn't expect to see was a passed-out Shino sprawled on the couch with a snoring Mikey at her feet. The empty bottles of liquor told him everything he needed to know. _Mikey, you're such a bad influence,_ he inwardly scolded. He gingerly stepped over the giant, slumbering turtle and gently shook the girl. "Hey...hey Shino...wake up."

"Mmnngh..." she ignored his efforts and rolled over.

Donatello rolled his eyes and made a mental note to tell Raphael that Mikey drank all his good booze. _Payback._ He stretched his arms out a bit as a test and decided to use his better arm to haul the limp girl over his good shoulder. He grunted slightly, carrying her up the stairs.

"Mmnn...Mikey?" she was groggy, trying to focus on the pattern of the shell she was currently facing.

"No, it's Donnie."

Shino froze. "What are you doing out of bed? And _lifting_ me?! Put me down this instant!"

"You're not in any position to be giving orders drunk like that," he dismissed her request, reaching the crossroads between his and Leonardo's room. The latter was her guest bedroom for the time being, but subconsciously Donatello was sick of having the scent of his brother's sheets all over her. Reaching his room, he tossed her onto her back in his bed.

She inhaled sharply with an _oof_ upon hitting his mattress. It was softer than Leo's, and she felt herself sink into it. "I'm not drunk," she retorted, rubbing her eyes. "Or...er...at least not so much...anymore." Yep, the room had stopped spinning, but she still felt nice and loose.

"Did you have fun with Mikey?" Donatello asked curiously.

"Yeah, it was nice break," Shino grinned at what little memory she still had from earlier that evening. "He's really good at cheering people up."

The maskless turtle nodded in agreement. "The gift of a goofball," he concurred, noticing the garish orange nail polish that now adorned Shino's feet. Then with a little more concern, "Why did you need cheering up?"

Shino rubbed her forehead, trying to think straight, but there was still a substantial amount of whiskey in her system. "I...I guess I just missed my friends...and my old life." She looked up, hazel eyes meeting his chocolate brown. "I felt a little...lonely."

Loneliness, his old friend. Donatello understood the feeling too well for it accompanied him many times in life. From April and Casey's wedding, to Splinter's absence, to Raphael disappearing for months, he had grown quite accustomed to this companion. He and his brothers were the last of their kind, and he was well aware of that. In fact,Shino's presence in his home and his blossoming feelings for her was just another constant reminder. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry. Maybe you should get some rest..."

"What about you?" Was it him or did she look disappointed?

"I fell asleep at 9pm. And if you knew before all of this, that's unheard of. I'm wide-awake now." He smiled warmly and reached for the purple bandana on his nightstand, only to feel her hands gently wrap around his much larger wrist.

"Can you stay a while?" There was a slight tremble in her grasp. "Just until I fall asleep? I don't want to be alone tonight..."

The beautiful girl who nursed him back to health was in his bed, pleading for him to stay. Donatello swallowed hard. How could he refuse?

* * *

Raphael didn't know how long or where he'd been running to, but his legs were beginning to ache. He needed to get rid of all the pent-up rage, and punch the living daylights out of someone if it couldn't be Leo. But of course, it _had_ to be a quiet night, not even a purse-snatching to be seen. _C'mon New York,_ he growled quietly to himself. _Don't get soft on me..._

He wondered where he would sleep tonight. Casey's? Nah. He wasn't in the mood to hear April lecture him about getting along with his brothers. A piercing scream from the alley across sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins. _Finally, some action! _Climbing up a nearby fire escape, he saw a young woman struggling against a group of thugs.

"Hold her down!" one of the punks ordered.

The other two did just that as their leader took out a pocket knife and leaned in to his long, raven-haired victim. "Wanna see what happens when you refuse a Dragon?"

Raphael didn't need to see anymore. With a roar, he charged out of the shadows and rammed the perpetrator against the wall. "Wanna see what happens when ya piss off a turtle?!" he growled before socking the shit out of the Dragon for good measure. The man crippled over, leaving his two cronies stunned at the sight of the beastly mutant. Brandishing one sai, the Raphael closed one eye and directed the tip of his weapon back and forth between the two remaining gangsters as if he were calibrating a sight. "Now, which one of you wants ta apologize for scarin' da pretty lady?"

"We're sorry!" the smaller one blurted out immediately, releasing the young woman and backing away with his accomplice.

"Yeah! Here!" the second one threw what looked to be the woman's purse back to her. "Take it! We're sorry!" Dragging their leader, the thugs bolted from the dark alley at record speed.

"You hurt?" Raphael turned to the shaking woman on the ground. He extended an enormous, forest green hand towards her, expecting her to take off in terror as so many had done before from his appearance. To his surprise however, the young woman graciously accepted his hand and pulled herself up.

"Th-thank you...you saved my life..."

"Oh uh...you're...welcome...uh..." he looked down at her tiny hand in his palm. _Well, this was a first._ She must have been freezing because her skin was even cooler than his.

"Ayumi," Her Japanese accent was apparent, but only second to her strangely inviting smile. "And your name?"

_Ah what the heck,_ he thought. Given his fight with Leo and this woman's remarkable looks, he felt his mouth move before his brain could finish thinking. "Raphael."

Ayumi closed the distance between them quickly. Everything about her was getting to him -her mesmerizing cinnamon-colored eyes, and the electrifying feel of her delicate fingers tracing his jawline, as she observed him up close. Her black hair fell to her waist in luscious layers, and bright red skinny jeans contrasted against a semi-sheer, white chiffon top. His favorite color accented her every curve just so. "Hmmm... _Raphael?_ I like the sound of that..."

"Heh...yeah?" He felt like he couldn't tear himself away even if he tried.

"Yes..." the beauty wrapped two slender arms around his neck, her voice impossibly sultry, _"Konban, sabishii desu ka, ware no eiyû?"_

He understood exactly what she said. It had been a while since he had spoken Japanese to anyone outside of the usual training and sparring commands. Not since before Splinter had gone. Hearing Ayumi's voice was like tasting the memories of a better time long past. A time when things were simple. The good guys were good, and the bad guys were bad. And he never had to question the loyalty and trust of his own brother. It was a time he now so desperately missed.

So when Ayumi repeated her question, _are you lonely tonight my hero? _He knew the answer. It hit him like a ton of bricks. He was. He so desperately was.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.

* * *

Shino couldn't breathe. Her legs ached from running, and her vision blurred. The hallways of Oroku Corp didn't end and all doors seemed to only lead to a never ending maze. It was happening again. The lucid dreams that plagued her since childhood had been increasing in frequency.

_Shino!_ Her father's disembodied voice hissed through the white, asylum-like walls. _Help me!_

She covered her ears with her hands and shut her eyes. _This is just a dream... just a dream that you'll wake up from soon enough,_ she logically told herself. She learned long ago to try to calm herself during these types of dreams. As a child, nightmares frightened her easily, but as an adult after being on her own for quite some time, she hadn't the time to read into them.

There was a pause in noise, and Shino tentatively took her hands off her ears. And that's when the screaming started. The sounds of her father burning to death all over again -louder and louder, until she was sure the screeching no longer sounded like his. No. It was warping. Warping into someone else's. And soon she realized who it _really_ was. And from behind her twitching eyelids, she reluctantly witnessed his gruesome death.

* * *

Shino inhales so sharply that her chest hurts. Wild eyes fly open in shock, and it takes a moment of lying in her own sweat to realize where she is again. Donatello's room. The stale taste of whiskey unpleasantly lines her mouth, and there is a dull pounding right between her eyes. Glancing over, she is surprised to find the turtle still by her side; large arm swung over her waist, he stirs ever so slightly.

_So much for just staying until I fell asleep._

He grips her tighter and pulls her against his plastron, mumbling incoherently. "Mmnnff...that Battle Nexus trophy was made in China...I traded it...for this delicious pizza."

She hadn't a clue what he was rambling about, and the lingering sense of dread set her priorities straight. "Hey, sleepy...wake up," she whispers. "Pssttt..." she gently pats his cheek.

He jolts awake, grabbing her wrist roughly, and causing her to gasp aloud. "Jesus! You REALLY have to stop doing that, Donnie!"

Donatello blinks a few times before something clicked. "Sorry, sorry..." his voice was still husky from sleep, and he released his grip immediately. "Natural reaction." His chocolate brown eyes warmed and scanned her appearance, picking up on the sweat dotting her brow and pale complexion. "Something wrong?"

Shino's heart is still pounding, but she forges on. "This is going to sound absolutely crazy... but I think Raph is in trouble."

* * *

Raphael could barely remember how he ended up in Ayumi's sparsely furnished apartment, but he was sure _some_ words had to be exchanged in order to have reach their present agreement - him on top and her spread eagle beneath him.

Her pillow soft lips were working some kind of magic. Soft, sweet tongue snaked its way between his teeth and drew him out of his shell. Never had the hot-headed turtle encountered anyone like Ayumi before. Mere touches from the feisty vixen were sending waves of desire coursing through his veins.

"You're somethin' else," he shuddered when her hands brushed against his engorged member.

"Nothing, but my best for the hero who saved my life," Ayumi smiled, pumping him from tip to base in one long satisfying stroke.

He groaned. "You're real good...do dis often?"

"Not like that," she looked briefly offended, but he didn't give her a chance to chastise him for his implication. Pressing his forehead against hers, Raphael tasted her lips as though his life depended on it, pausing only to smiled when she eagerly moaned into his mouth.

* * *

Leonardo scanned the rooftops and ran as quickly as he could. It took awhile for his anger and pride to succumb to reason, but it eventually happened. He was ashamed of fighting with Raph over Karai, but damn if he'd let this break up the family again. No, not this time. The very thought of history repeating itself wretched his heart. Splinter would have expected better, and he would do anything to keep them safe. He prayed only to find his tempermental sibling before he did something they'd both regret to blow off steam.

The orange tint in the skyline threatened the break of dawn, and it was then that Leonardo's buzzed with a timely vibration.

"Donnie? Is Raph back at the Lair?" He couldn't contain his worry.

"No," his brother sounded equally anxious. "He's not with you either?"

"No."

"Tell him, tell him now!" Shino's voice could be heard in the background, tinged with distraught.

"Listen to me carefully, Leo. The apartments behind Woody's Pizzeria. The ones with the brick walls next to the alley where Mikey lost Klunk a few years back. Remember where that is?"

"Yes."

"Raph's there. He's in trouble."

Leonardo furrowed his eye ridges with confusion. "But how do you know-"

"No time to explain. I sent Mikey too, but he's a little hungover, so he might move slower than usual. Just get there as quickly as possible, got it?" Leo took note of the urgency in his generally calm brother's voice.

"I'm on it."

He ran as fast as he could.

* * *

Raphael had almost surrendered himself completely, when he felt her hand reached for the sai in his belt. Concentration broke automatically, and he snatched her wrist.

"I just thought you'd want to take these off," Ayumi nodded toward his belt. "To get a little more...comfortable?" She ran her tongue over her luscious lips and smirked mischievously.

He smiled back, but didn't budge, "I'm comfortable enough. These stay on. And **_never_** touch them again, got it?"

"You want to fuck with your weapons _on?_" She made no effort to hide her disapproval. "You're in a sensitive area..."

"Heh, don't I know it..." he growled, throwing her hand back and gliding a large thumb over her glistening slit. Ayumi bucked her hips, and he nearly took her right then and there. "Keep your hands where I can see them," he smirked. "It's more fun this way."

She obliged with a wink and held on to the headboard. He enjoyed the view of her writhing body as he slid a thick digit into her soft velvety folds. Pulling out just once to taste her like icing on a cake. Sweet.

_"Kore no aji wo oboemasu ka?"_ she moaned softly, running a spread leg against his outer thigh.

"Ya damn right I want it," he murmured in response.

Ayumi inhaled sharply at the sudden fullness that entered her, hitting her in all the right spots. Raphael ground his hips against her, enjoying every jiggle of her breasts and the way her hips rolled eagerly against his. He reveled at how impossibly hot and tight she was. It had never felt so good with anyone else.

His fiery amber eyes met her hypnotic pupils. They shimmered in the most eye-catching shade of copper he'd ever seen, and suddenly he felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. Warm all over, his hips continued to move automatically in a delicious trance. "Fuck...Ayumi..." he hissed. "You dunno what you're doin' ta me..."

"Don't I?" the rumbling in Raphael's churr emerged when she took one of his hands and guided it to her lips, gently sucking on his large thumb while he was working inside her. It was too much, and he nearly came, but she bit into his flesh and sent a shock throughout his nervous system.

"What are ya-" he shook his head, clearly disoriented. "You.." he reached for his sai, but his arms felt like jelly. Sloppy. Immobilized. Heavy. His eyelids struggled to stay open.

The last thing that came into view is Ayumi suddenly on top of him. Her skin is pockmarked with grotesque dark splotches. She has two fangs protruding as unsettling hooks from her chin, dribbling in what he could only assume was his own blood. He tries to grab her limbs to throw her off, but then he realizes she has eight of them...all covered with bristly, dark hairs.

* * *

"Put him on the examination table!" Donatello ordered, throwing on a pair of gloves. "_What_ did you say did this?!"

"_Jorōgumo_." Leonardo's voice was somber in tone. " Spider demon -just like the mythology. I never thought I'd see one in real life." His countenance was still that of shock and disbelief. "She looked like a beautiful girl when I first saw them through the window. Raph was-" He cleared his throat nervously. "Well, you know- and when they started getting serious she took on her demon form and started to attack."

"I hate...bugs..." the hallucinating turtle slurred on the examination table.

"Typical of the jorōgumo," Shino frowned, dabbing a cold towel over Raphael's feverish brow. "They seduce men, and lure them into their den only to devour them. I'm glad you got there when you did, Leo."

The leader of the Hamato clan nodded, but looked no less relieved. "What's happening to him, Donnie? Can you fix this?"

"His hand...it's **black**." Donatello checked Raphael's vitals and carefully examined the visibly affected extremity. "Fang marks on his thumb. It must have injected some sort of venom because something is destroying his tissue from the inside. Strap him in."

"Not good, bro..." Michelangelo was noticeably perturbed, but did as Donatello ordered. "Stay with us Raph."

Raph's breaths were erratic and his eyes were lolling back and forth inside their sockets.

"I have an antidote that may work, " The needle went in, and anticipation hung in the air. Unfortunately, the black matter on Raphael's hand did not fade. It steadily crept up his thick, darkened veins. "Just I feared," Donatello shook his head in evident frustration. "This antidote was made from a combination of organic materials and chemicals. It's useless against something that's completely inorganic - like a supernatural spider demon."

"So now what?" Leonardo asked impatiently. "We can't just let the poison spread. It'll-"

'Destroy everything it touches, including vital organs," his brother finished.

"No," Lenoardo gripped the edge of the examination table. "We won't let it get there. We've got to try everything possible."

Donatello scrambled and looked through all his vast collection of vials and syringes. Raphael was poked with several combinations and chemicals of various sorts, but each attempt was more ineffective than the last. "I'm out." Donatello finally admitted with exasperation. "None of this works."

"We can't leave him like this!" Michelangelo was recognizably upset. "He'll...he'll..."

Donatello grew quiet, before solemnly stating the awful truth, "There's always amputation."

"No..." Raphael suddenly rasped. It was the first thing he'd really responded to throughout the entire ordeal. He was delirious, but not completely gone. "Donnie please don't..."

"Raph, I won't let you _die._" Donatello's voice was cold and clinical, but Shino could see the uncertainty behind his gaze.

"But how will I fight?" Raphael began to shake, pulling at the restraints with what functional limbs he had. His dimly lit eyes squinted hard at his brother. "How will I FIGHT?!" He was unraveling. "NO!"

"_Mikey,_" Donatello signaled to his youngest brother.

Michelangelo shut his eyes tightly and turned away before executing a well-placed strike that knocked Raphael out cold, head slumping over one shoulder. "I'm sorry, Raph. Donnie, you're not really gonna-"

"Leo. Your katana, " Donatello extended his hand, ignoring the question, but Leonardo steps back.

"Donnie, we can't. Not like this."

Donatello went rigid. "We _don't_ have time. The substance has already destroyed everything below the elbow. If we wait any longer-."

"I know, but like you said, we're dealing with something inorganic. You don't fight the supernatural with science."

" So what are you getting at?" Donatello demanded, running low on patience.

"Maybe a prayer or Shino..." Lenoardo looks at Shinio with a hopefulness that breaks her heart. "If you had a vision sensed Raph was in danger and saw where he was, maybe you can do something about this."

"Leo," Shino's chest tightens. "I couldn't control what I had dreamt. It just came to me. I don't think I can do something on this scale."

"Just try. _Please._"

Shino inhaled deeply and tried to remember some of the protection prayers and demon dispelling prayers that she had studied in Leo's texts, but the complicated words jumble around in her head, and the words clumsily stumble out of her mouth. Nothing is happening except for the black matter creeping up to Raphael's bicep.

_SLAM!_ Donatello throws his fists against the steel table. "That is _it,_! Enough of this! Leo, you're holding Shino up on some crazy mystic pedestal. She doesn't even _like_ reading all your scripture, let alone work some impossible magic to save a life. She _can't_ do what you want her to do, so just accept that. I won't have _either_ of you playing with Raph's life, so stop wasting time, and-" There is an explosive struggle, and Shino cannot believe her eyes as the two brothers lunge at each other. Michelangelo jumps into the middle, trying to hold the two apart, but took a severe beating in the process. Their titanic strength is matched only by their rage.

There is a flash of steel and something slices into Raph's flesh. There is a deafening roar, and Shino's eyes burn as black, warm liquid splatters across her face. Everything goes white.

* * *

She is standing in a field, and it is absolutely beautiful. Untouched by the modernization, it looked like to be a quaint village in feudal Japan.

"Masumi! Masumi!" a small girl is running up to her, and suddenly it feels like déjà vu. "_Yōkai! Yōkai_ are attacking the village!"

_Demons._ Shino is being dragged through the field by the desperate child covered in dirt and blood. Running, she looks down to notice that she is wearing the traditional red hakama and white top of a Japanese _miko_, or shrine maiden. _What the heck?_

**Another blindingly bright flash of white.**

Shino finds herself laying in her own pool of blood, wet hand tightening around her katana. She is surrounded by the decapitated heads of some of the most foul looking creatures she'd ever laid eyes on. Some are horned, others fanged, bulging eyes, wagging tongues, the whole gamut is spread before her in a buffet of death that she somehow knows she was responsible for. To her right, the _Shikatsu no Hon_ is open, pages blowing in the wind.

"Masumi Mori..." a demonic rumble calls out and what follows is equally terrifying in appearance. Towering over 7 feet, red-faced, fanged, and covered in robes of black flames, the yōkai steps over the corpses of the fallen and jerkily approaches her. He is injured, as evidenced by the arrows lodged in his back and the wounds across his exposed, ridged chest, but he remains undeterred. "My priestess...the purest and most powerful in the land...my perfect _yorimashi._ Let us become **one**."

"Never," Shino finds herself speaking. She cannot control her body, it is acting on its own accord, and she is merely the witness. "I will never serve as your vessel. My body is for protecting the innocent, NOT not to bring evil into this world of beauty."

The yōkai chortled diabolically, sending a howling wind through the field, lifting the _Shikatsu no Hon_ into the air. "You may have slayed all my children, but do think you think you can really defeat _me_ with your little diary? How absurd!"

Shino's body takes the initiative and leaps into the air to retrieve her book. She is surprised at her own strength, but it seems as though her body has done this all before. Her blade meets the demon's knife-like claws and the two engage in a heated battle.

"Let us merge, Masumi. We shall rule the weak and feeble cretins that make up humanity _together,_" his words only incite her to fight harder. And suddenly, there is the sound of metal puncturing a flesh like substance. Black ooze is dripping down her wrists, and Shino sees that she has impaled the evil spirit. Yet why does he still grin from ear to pointy ear? She flinches in pain, recognizing that several of his claws have penetrated her sides. Every fiber of her being is suffocates.

"Fool...you shall be my vessel soon..." the creature wheezes. Shino feels his spirit trying to assume full control of her body, trying to pass his spirit into her core. He is laughing, but her body feels as though it is simply waiting.

At the opportune moment, Shino extracts the blade turns it against herself. The yōkai screams. "You fool! What are you doing?!"

"Ensuring the underworld will no longer be able to use my body as a bridge to reach humanity," she chokes out with determination. With her last remaining strength, her fingers reach into her robe and pulls out the _Shikatsu no Hon._ She recites a prayer she knows all too well because she knows she has written it. It has been saved for this very moment. And suddenly there is a lightness in the air. Shino feels herself floating away in seven different directions. Her memories are fading, memories of the village, of life as Masumi, of her _Shikatsu no Hon._ The pain is silenced, and a sense of peace washes over her.

* * *

A blow comes straight to Leonardo's center, and he grunts on impact. He moves to block Donatello, but it isn't his brother. No. Donnie's is somehow already on the ground, rubbing the back of his head in shock like he'd just been hit by a bus. And Michelangelo is by his side, asking if he's alright.

_If it wasn't Donnie then who? _He is shocked to see who has attacked and now defended against him.

"Stop fighting," Shino's grip displays remarkable strength. The demon tainted blood smeared across her face cannot dull the sparkling intensity in her eyes that sends chills down his spine. It was as if something had been awakened. "Stop fighting," she commands again. "I know how to help Raph."

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading and all the reviews! I hope to update more often now that busy season is almost over at work and my personal life will be much less exciting after July 4th weekend. Just wanted to say that I appreciate each and every single read and review. Your thoughts and support are much loved!


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and do not make any money off this fic or franchise. I only own my OCs.

* * *

Shino dodged left as April swung at her with a bokken. The redhead looped her swing around into another fluid strike, but Shino was prepared. April watched in horror as the blow missed, and Shino reached out and grabbed her tightly by both wrists. Using the natural momentum of the swing, Shino stepped sideways, guiding April's arms over her own shoulders and then twisted. _Hard._ April yelped in pain and immediately release the bokken right into Shino's grasp.

In an instant, April felt its wooden blade pressed against her neck. The sparring session was over.

"Wow," April bowed deeply, still rubbing her wrists. "Leo wasn't joking when he told me **not** to go easy on you. I had to train with Splinter and the guys for _years_ just to get where I am!"

Shino rubbed the back of her head. "I know, it still freaks me out to be honest. When I was training with Leo and Mikey, it was like muscle memory. My body seemed to know exactly what to do...like it was performing a dance memorized centuries ago. Strange, right?"

April shrugged. "After so many years with four giant mutant turtles, you'd be surprised what I'd consider strange these days. I'm just glad I could help you guys solve the mystery behind your vision. Wanna grab a bite?"

Shino nodded and padded out of the training room in April's apartment. "I owe you, April. Thanks again for using your contacts in Japan to do such extensive research on Masumi Mori. It was a relief to know she actually existed...and that I wasn't going crazy."

The night she had that bizarre flashback, Shino thought she had gone clinically insane. After all, Shino Mori was many things -an above-average student, determined career woman, art connoisseur, irregular gym rat, fashionista, terrible cook, but certainly NOT the reincarnation of an ancient, all-powerful priestess.

Yet denial explained so little. For example, her ability to save Raph through channeling Masumi's vast wealth of knowledge. She remembered her voice and fingers moving on their own, executing the series of complex _kuji kiri_ to seal healing powers in Raphael's affected limb, reversing the spread of demonic poison that threatened his life. She remembered feeling the sudden power coursing through her veins, giving her the the skill and power t to break up a fight between two highly-trained, very angry turtles.

Yep. Denial had ran its course, and Shino was desperate to find some answers. Enter April.

"Perks of traveling all over the world to find clients artifacts," her hostess grinned, putting down a huge plate of sandwiches and two tall iced teas. "Second Time Around has to stay competitive in this market. Can't just be a store anymore. I take on special requests from interesting clients. As a result, I meet a lot of very resourceful experts in my travels. It took some digging, but we found a few scross, hand-written documentation of the priestess named in your vision."

Shino nodded, digging into her meal. She was famished. "Thank you so much..." she said with her mouthful.

"You have to respect that Masumi Mori," April mused. "A priestess so powerful that she could not only communicate with the spirits, but also channel their powers and control them? It's amazing! And the _author_ of the _Shikatsu no Hon_? Genius. The accounts my sources turned up said she helped a lot of villages throughout Japan - dispelling curses, slaying demons and other terrors to protect innocent people. Her good deeds made her well-known during that time."

"A little _too_ well-known if you asked me," Shino mumbled.

"Yes," April conceded. "I suppose that's how the demon king tracked her down and tried to use her body as a conduit of evil. Good thing he didn't count on Masumi having that full-proof plan!"

"Oh yes that..." Shino chuckled. "Which part was full-proof again exactly? Killing herself and ensuring her spirit gets reincarnated in one of her distant descendants? Or the part where her powers and memories could only be reawakened through contact with demon blood? Because if you ask me, Masumi couldn't have picked a _worse_descendant to reincarnate herself into. She should have _at least_ chosen another priestess. Maybe even a cop. Just _someone_ with more fight or experience to protect hoards of people..."

April smiled and placed a hand on Shino's shoulder. "I think you were chosen for a very good reason. I know it's a lot of pressure, but don't discount yourself. Masumi Mori doesn't seem like the type who would make arbitrary choices when the fate of many were on the line."

"Right, no pressure at all," Shino quipped with a grin. "I do want to do this though. To avenge my father. To stop Karai. Save other families from having to lose their loved ones in such a horrific way..."

"You can handle it," April said with conviction. "Besides, you have _plenty_ of fight. You got Leo to let you out of the lair tonight after all. That guy is hard to sway."

"Pshh...he had NO excuse after I tripped him up TWICE during practice this morning. I can protect myself." Shino's hazel eyes sparkling self-assuredly.

"Nice. I wish I could have seen his face."

"It was like this," Shino contorted her expression, eyes bugging out, jaw dropping so low it almost looked unhinged. April bursted into an uproarious cackle.

"I've seen that look!" the redhead nearly choked. "I've **seen** it! Just like the time he walked in on Mikey using his expensive katana to cut up a pizza because no one did the dishes!"

"Really?"

"Yes! He totally went off about how Mikey was 'dishonoring his sword!'"

"What?! No...that sounds _so_ wrong and yet so..."

The two girls looked at each other and said flatly in unison, _"Leo."_

"Aah..." Shino sighed, wiping the tears away from the corner of her eyes. "God, I needed that. It feels good to laugh that hard again."

April nodded, hating to ruin the mood, but she needed to know. "Speaking of which...how are things at the lair these days? I'm sorry I've been away for a work trip, but Casey tells me things felt a little...tense...when he last visited Raph. What's going on?"

Shino hesitated. Not because she didn't want to tell April, but because she didn't know where to had barely spoken more than a few sentences to her since the night Masumi Mori's spirit awakened within her. Perhaps he was truly freaked out by her spiritual outburst. Shino couldn't be sure, but she knew it hurt. She was certain she must have looked positively _possessed_. And knocking him onto his shell probably didn't help, even if it **was** for his own good. But now? Shino didn't know what to think. It seemed like only yesterday he was literally _cuddling_ her in bed. Nowadays, Donatello was clearly keeping his distance. Talk about mixed messages.

And although Donnie and Leo awkwardly apologized for the fisticuffs, both their communications remained brief with each other. Only speaking for whatever necessary day-to-day task at hand. They were dancing around some invisible, unresolved issue, and _neither_ wanted to talk about it.

Raphael was grateful that Shino could preserved his limb, but she didn't understand why he still remained cold and standoffish (even more so than usual) around Leo.

Meanwhile Mikey was doing his best to lighten the mood as usual. He tried to bring everyone together with jokes, cooking, friendly video game tournaments, and movie nights, but even Shino could tell he was getting tired of all the passive-aggressive tension.

And finally, Leo. Shino spent most of her time with him these days, through meditation or spiritual practices to test the extent of the gifts Masumi had bestowed upon her. He seemed exhausted, but as expected, kept it together. He kept watch over Raphael through the nights his arm was still healing, changing cold towels on his brother's sweating brow as Raph tossed and turned during ugly nightmares. Leonardo's commitment, endurance, and strength were not only a testament to his character, but his love for his family. It was endearing to say the least. His actions, the way he carried himself and carried the burdens of the entire family without so much as a peep was extremely touching. Shino knew she was vulnerable to him, when she found herself wanting to take care of him for a change.

By the time she'd finished her rant to April (being sure to omit her more _personal_ feelings to avoid complicating the situation), Shino felt a little better. April, on the other hand, looked troubled.

"Wow. That _is_ quite a lot to deal with. It's too bad. I thought the guys were coming back together as a whole again. It's been weird ever since Splinter died..." She rubbed away some condensation on her glass with a thumb.

"So...what really happened? After Splinter's death, I mean...why did the family fall apart?"

"Honestly, I don't know all the ins and outs of it myself, but from what I did see, the guys had a real rough patch. Raph and Leo got into a big fight. Raph bursted into me and Casey's apartment one night and went on this rant about how Leo had always been Splinter's favorite son, and how he didn't deserve any of it. He kept saying Leo was a traitor and a poor excuse for a Hamato. It was really harsh...even by Raph standards."

"Traitor?" Shino was shocked. If anything,she believed Leo was the most responsible of all the brothers.

April shrugged. "I don't know. I couldn't calm him down that night and neither could Casey, which was rare. Usually, they'd go out, bust up some thugs and come home for some beers. That night was different. Raph ran off, and soon everyone realized he wasn't planning on coming home any time soon. Days became weeks, and weeks became months. After a lot of digging around in Chinatown, Donnie, Casey, and I finally tracked him down. He had run away to Hong Kong."

"What?!"

"Well, it was where he'd gone when Splinter sent him off for training, but that's a whole other story. Anyway, Raph was living like a vigilante hero there, executing his brand of violent justice on triads wreaking havoc in the poorer areas. He was playing hero, but he was a mess. He'd been drinking...a lot...and consorting with all sorts of questionable women."

Shino arched a brow. She didn't want any elaboration on that.

"It was like he'd lost his mind. He looked almost..._feral_ when we found him."

"Geeze..."

April shook her head. "It was bad. And in the middle of arguing with Raph to get him home, Don and Casey got distracted. One of the tougher triads came by to avenge a death of their leader, and Casey and Don were hurt badly in the fight. We all barely made it out alive. Silver lining of the story was that after seeing his brother and bestfriend seriously injured, Raph snapped out of it. He came home with us."

"But you guys never asked Raph and Leo about what their fight was about?"

"Oh, we asked. Many times, but none of the brothers wanted to talk about it. Leo said it was settled. And after Raph's little stunt, we didn't push it. All that mattered was that he came home. And we know it hasn't been perfect. There are moments where him and Leo still bump heads pretty hard, but now I just send Raph away on assignments to help my clients to give him some distance and something new and exciting to do. He's always eager to oblige and comes back in a better mood."

Shino frowned. "Oh I see... and did Leo and Donnie fought after Splinter's death too?"

"No," April confessed. "Now _that's_ actually new..."

* * *

Karai stared emotionlessly at the decapitated head floating inside the laboratory jar. Its countenance twisted in agony, mouth frozen in a perpetual scream. Long black hair billowed wildly around its sickly white skin, like dark, unnatural seaweed.

"The _jorōgumo_ you summoned turned out to be a disappointment," the kunoichi remarked offhandedly, tapping on the glass as she would a goldfish tank.

"Ayumi _nearly_ finished Raphael off, but his brother interrupted and slayed my demon." Tora grumbled bitterly.

"Unacceptable, Tora. I do not pay my people to get the job **_nearly_** done."

"I'm sorry, Mistress," the failure bowed her head in shame. "I will summon another creature from the _Shikatsu no Hon_. Something more powerful. Something not even Leo-"

"That won't be necessary." Karai cut in immediately. "I have something better planned. How would **you** like to take out the turtles on your own? You know what they say, _'if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.'_"

Tora blinked in confusion. "I-I don't understand...I lack training in combat; I have not the power to-"

"There are _ways_ for you to become undefeatable," her superior explained. "Summoning _yōkai_ to do your bidding is certainly impressive, but at the end of the day, you're still relying on another being to get the job done. Summon an all-powerful entity and allow your body to **host** its powers, and by default, **you** own that power- all the skills, cunning, and powers necessary to destroy your foes at your very fingertips. Now **that** is true power, is it not?"

Tora pursed her lips in consideration, clearly conflicted. "I...I suppose. But that sounds-"

"GREAT!" Karai clapped her hands together with finality. "It's decided then, we shall advance you to the next level-channeling powerful spirits. I know you won't disappointment, Tora. I have such faith in you." She hooked arms with the stunned and confused woman and walked her towards the door, "Study the _Shikatsu no Hon_ in detail, and we shall convene again in three days to commence the next phase of the project."

Tora nodded half-heartedly, as Karai continued. "And if you don't show, I'll take it as a personal betrayal," she said in with an icy laugh. It was meant to sound like a joke, but anyone who had ever met Karai would know better. Tora swallowed nervously as she was shoved out the door. "_Ganbatte!_"

Karai's smile instantly vanished off her face.

"Didn't have much of a choice there, did she?" Dr. Chaplin said without looking up from his computer. "Three days until she has to surrender her body to the Shredder" he shook his head. "That poor girl has **no** idea what's really coming."

"Save your judgment, Chase. It's not going to bring my father back."

There was an audible sigh before his gaze met hers. "Tora mentioned that Leonardo was the one who defeated the _jorōgumo_?"

"Mnn," Karai made a slight sound in acknowledgement, and turned her back to him, walking towards her purse.

"You said that Raphael breached security that night you had to leave our bed."

"He did."

"Leonardo was there too. I just looked up the security camera footage while Tora was talking. Why didn't you mention that?"

Karai shrugged. "Didn't think it was important."

"If it wasn't important then why make the effort to omit that fact?"

Karai's silence spoke volumes.

"I knew it," Dr. Chaplin pushed himself away from his desk and stood. "The way you came back...cold. Reluctant to my touch. You _still_ have feelings for him, don't you?" She'd have to be deaf not to hear the acerbic edge in his words.

"We're not having this conversation _again_," Karai retorted calmly.

"Did I hit a nerve?" A new insubordination flared in his voice.

"Get out," she ordered. "After all my father...after all **I've** done for you, I will not stand here and have my motives and feelings _interrogated_ like a common criminal. Do you understand? GET. OUT."

Dr. Chaplin shook his head, breaking the staredown. He removed his lab coat and loosened his tie. "You're a real piece of work, Karai," and then a defeated laugh. "And boy was I ever the fool..."

"GET OUT!" an empty flask missed his head by an inch and shattered against the wall.

"As you wish, _Mistress_." The mockery was deliberate.

Karai stood still, eyes locked on his disappearing figure. When she finally exhaled, she could only breathe his name, "Chase..."

But he was already gone.A heaviness dragged her heart into the pit of her stomach. For the first time in a long time, Karai felt true loneliness.

* * *

"SHIT DONNIE!" Raphael roared. "Tie dem bandages any tighter, and you're gonna cut off what little circulation I have left!"

Donatello blinked in realization and quickly unravelled his handiwork. "Oh god! Sorry! I don't know where my mind went. Sorry!"

Fact: He knew _exactly_ where his mind went. It was lost in the light, clean scent of her hair. The memory of how Shino's soft skin felt against his calloused hands. How despite all odds, every curve of their differently shaped bodies seemed to fit so perfectly together in a sleepy embrace. With her by his side that night, Donatello had never felt so relaxed. _Stupid,_ he scolded himself. _Fleeting, unfounded hope. A hormones-induced, harebrained delusion._

Then again...Shino didn't so much as flinch at his touch. Not like when they'd first met. Now, she welcomed it. And the dreamy look in her eyes when they laid there talking until he drifted off to sleep...had he simply imagined it? Donatello didn't know, but he knew he wanted to see it again. He missed it. He missed _her_.

But now he'd gone and ruined everything. He had acted so ugly that night, lashing out at his own brother in front of her, ranting about what he thought Shino _was_ and _wasn't_ capable of. And then of course, she goes and proves him wrong. Dead wrong. She saved his brother's life when he couldn't. For the first time in Donatello's life, his brains and science were of no use, and he could not accept it. His lack of faith manifested in an overabundance of rage directed at Leonardo. It was beastly of him, and he felt the hot burn of shame and regret lick his neck and face at the memory.

He couldn't even look at Shino these days. He'd pretty much driven her into Leo's arms, given all the time she'd been spending with him. Leo had been right all along. He sensed her powers, her potential, and supported her. Donatello's thoughts trickled into a dark mental alley. _NO._ He shook his head. _Don't go there, Donatello. At best, she won't be interested in Leo either because, like you, he's a giant mutant turtle too. At worst, she'll love him and they'll both just..._. His jaw clenched.

"HEY!" Raph's gruff voice brought an abrupt stop to his tortured, internal dialogue. "What's da matter with you?" He could feel his brother's skeptical amber eyes judge his every reaction. "You're starin' at my arm like you wanna BITE it..."

"Huh? What?! No! I'm just tired," Donatello tried to sound casual. "Didn't get enough sleep last night."

"Bullshit. You're moping about Shino again," Raphael hit the nail on the head. As subtle as a hammer.

"W-what?"

"Don't play stupid, Geek Boy. I see da dopey way you look at her. You're in love. And when Leo touches her? Forget it. I can almost smell da rage steamin' off of ya. You wanna beat Fearless down ta da ground." Raph flexed his newly bandaged arm; the impossibly large bicep stretched the medical fabric to its limits. "Not dat I blame ya, bro..." He grinned shamelessly.

"Of course. You look like you want to give Leo a beatdown everyday. Does that mean you're in love with Shino too?" He hoped the sarcastic comeback, would say _I don't care about her_.

"Well now dat ya mention in," Raphael stroked the bottom of his chin in deep contemplation. "Shino **does** have a tight lil ass dat I jus get behind and -"

Donatello couldn't stop the rumbling snarl that erupted from his chest OR his fist from lashing out to clip Raph in the face.

"HA! I KNEW IT!" his brother dodged, then reappeared with ninja speed in front of him again, fat finger poking a dumbfounded Donnie square between the eyes. "You DO want her! GOTCHA!" He barked with laughter, looking like a big, _smug_ piece of shit.

Donatello was fuming.

"You're an idiot, Raph!" But he knew his brother was right. His animosity towards Leo could give Raph's a run for his money, and THAT was a problem. It was as he'd studied. Turtles sometimes fought over mates. They'd get aggressive...territorial...he knew it was starting within him. He'd get so mad, even when Leo bumped into Shino or crouched around her, adjusting her finger positions while they practiced _kuji kiri._ It all just seemed _too_ intimate for his taste.

"So whatcha gonna do 'bout it, Romeo?" Raph was still studying him.

"What do you mean?"

"Ya gonna tell her how ya really feel? Or let Fearless have all da fun?"

"That's ludicrous, Raph. Why would I ever do that? What would I even expect her to say? I mean, it's just...NO."

The turtle with the red bandana shrugged. "Nah, you're right Donnie. Why embarrass yourself, right?"

His brother nodded. "Precisely. It's illogical to-"

"YUP. Why be honest and take a chance, when you can just wait for Leo ta make a lil love nest with Princess over there. Maybe they'll call ya when their toaster is broken or sumthin'. You'd be cool with dat, right?"

_Burn._

Donatello was quiet for a while. And then he entertained the idea, "So you really think I should tell her?"

"It's up ta you...just sayin' you got nothing to lose."

"Except _her._"

"Well, you'd lose her anyway if you didn't try. Don't be a wimp, Donnie. Nobody likes a wimp."

Donatello stared at his brother. Raph never bothered with niceties or cushioned words. Sometimes this characteristic came off abrasive and highly irritating. Other times...it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

"Alright..." Donatello inhaled deeply. "I'm gonna do it." His mind raced. Blood pumping, adrenaline rushing... "In fact, I'll do it tonight when she gets back from April's!"

"Go get 'er, Tiger." Raph laughed, slapping him hard on the shell.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for all the feedback guys! Hopefully this chapter answered some of the questions I was getting. I think I'm done with background stories and side stories for a while. We know where Raph went and what Shino is now. Now, I just want to move along and get to the knitty gritty drama, romance, smut, action and angst. Oh and Shredder. He's still there. Waiting.**

**Reviews and commentary are much appreciated! :)**


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